Only Yours
by jane3876
Summary: Their souls were made for each other. There was nothing that could separate them. Their love was told in legends to children but as real as the moon and stars in the sky. Nothing could separate them, not even time. M for safety.
1. Every Day and Every Night

Disclaimer: Don't Own Inuyasha and Co.

**Only Yours**

_Everyday and Every Night_

"Hey Inuyasha…it's, uh, it's me. I thought I might catch you before you left…but I guess not. I really need to talk to you, so please…call me back. Thanks."

A beep signaled the end of the message and Inuyasha saved it with a smile. Kagome always managed to make him smile these days, when it seemed nothing else did. With a sigh, he loosened his tie around his neck and wandered to the kitchen while the rest of his messages played.

"Inuyasha, my friend! I have a couple of ladies here that are a little lonely that I'm not sure I can handle alone. Get off your grumpy butt and live a little!" Miroku's voice trailed off and then became muffled as he talked to someone else. "Well, duty calls. But please consider going out. You need to get over this…please." With that, he hung up and left Inuyasha scowling at his answering machine.

_Stupid nosey ass…I'm perfectly fine, thank you!_

_Yeah, that's why you haven't left your apartment except for work in two weeks._

Shaking it off with a grumble, he unbuttoned his shirt on his way to the shower, only half listening to the rest of his messages.

"Inuyasha…it's me." He froze in the middle of stripping off his shirt and whipped his head towards his machine. "Listen, I know you don't want to talk to me after what happened, but…I miss you. We really need to talk. I'll be over after work."

His heart leapt into his throat and his golden eyes stared at the innocent machinery as if it had grown arms and legs.

Kikyo.

His arms fell limply to his sides as his head bowed and his mind was swept back to that moment two years ago when his world had crumbled around his feet…

* * *

><p>"<em>Miroku, for the love of God, remember to fax those reports before you leave or it'll be your ass," Inuyasha called as he grabbed his coat and headed towards the door. The man in question looked up from the computer with an innocent smile.<em>

"_Consider it done, my friend. Where are you headed so early?" _

_Inuyasha smirked. "None of your business. If I hear one complaint from The Bastard, I'll kill you myself. Got it?"_

"_If I didn't know you so well, I'd almost say you didn't trust me," Miroku claimed with a false sense of hurt. _

_Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. "Whatever. See you tomorrow."_

_With an absent nod to the receptionist, he made his way to his parked car inside the garage, looking at his watch as he went and wincing. _

Shit, Kikyo's going to kill me. I'm already an hour late.

_Cursing, he picked up his speed and peeled out of the garage as if the devil himself were after him. As he neared his apartment, he thought of the small velvet box that lay like a brick in his pocket. _

_He and Kikyo had been dating for almost a year now and though it scared him shitless, he was almost ready to ask her to marry him. He knew she was the marrying type and she herself had dropped not-so-subtle hints that she wanted to get married but he had always shied away from the idea of marriage until he had met her. _

_The idea of committing himself to one person for the rest of his life scared him. To give someone that much hold over him had always scared him. But he knew Kikyo wouldn't wait forever and knew she was getting impatient as it was. He loved her so he wanted to make her happy. And if that meant marriage, then he was willing to do it for her. _

_With a small grin, he pulled up to his apartment and cut the engine quickly, bounding up the stairs in record time. With a nervous frown, he opened his door and stepped inside. _

"_Kikyo! I'm home. Sorry I'm late…" _

_He froze mid step as he gazed at the scene before him. Kikyo looked up with a gasp and hurriedly pulled her shirt tails together while the male underneath her simply smirked in Inuyasha's direction. With a strangled roar, he lunged and had the man pinned against the wall with his hand locked around his throat. _

"_Inuyasha!" Kikyo screamed. "Let him go! You're suffocating him!" _

_With a growl he tightened his grip and gained a sick pleasure as the other guy's brown eyes began to roll back in his head. Kikyo rushed to his side and tugged frantically on his powerful forearm, with no avail. _

"_Inuyasha! Let him go! Please!" _

_Almost against his will, his hand loosened and the man crumbled in a heap on the ground, coughing. Kikyo crouched down next to him protectively. _

"_Get out," he snarled, stepping back. _

"_Inuyasha, please—"_

"_Get out!" he roared. "Get out of my sight before I do something I'm going to regret." _

_Kikyo looked up at him apprehensively but his bangs covered his eyes. Tension radiated from every part of him and she knew he was holding onto his temper by a thin thread. With frantic movements, she pulled her lover to his feet and had them out the door before she could anger him further. _

_Inuyasha stood rooted to the spot, staring at where Kikyo had been. His whole body ached, ached like he had never ached before. With a strangled whimper, his muscles acted without his consent and had him sprinting to the window and bounding into the night._

* * *

><p>Shaking the memory off with a scowl, Inuyasha tossed his shirt in an untidy pile on the floor and turned the water on scalding hot. Stepping in, he braced his hands on the tiled wall and bowed his head, letting the water run over his back to pool at his feet.<p>

It had taken him two months to get out of his apartment after that and it had taken him almost a year to finally be able to walk into his apartment without seeing Kikyo and her lover tangled on the floor. If it hadn't been for Kagome…

* * *

><p><em>Buildings passed by in a blur as Inuyasha raced down the street, his eyes burning, his legs quivering and his chest clenching. With a strangled roar, he launched into the air further, higher. He didn't know where he was going, he simply <em>ran.

_He skidded to a stop outside a three story apartment building, his fists clenched and quivering. He didn't question why he was here of all places. All he knew was he needed her touch, needed her to take away the pain. _

_He landed soundlessly outside her window and peered in. She lay in a tangle of sheets, one slim arm thrown over her stomach, the other curling by her face. Her eyes were closed and her chest rode and fell peacefully. Though he hadn't made a single noise, she seemed to sense him and jerked awake with a start. Turning her head, her dazed eyes met his and her mouth formed his name silently. _

_Kagome didn't waste a moment, and got to get feet and opened her window. Stepping back, she waited for him to close the window against the frigid air behind himself. His breathing was ragged and harsh. _

"_Inuyasha?" she asked quietly, reaching out with a hand to touch his tense shoulder. "Inuyasha, what happened?" _

_He moved in a blur and she only had time to gasp before she was clutched against his shuddering chest and his strong arms were clinging to her like a lifeline. Her eyes were wide as she raised her arms to clutch him in turn. Her heart pounded in her ears and fear was a bitter taste in her mouth. She had never seen him this out of control before. He had always kept a rigid control over himself and had never gotten past blustering anger. _

"_Inuyasha," her voice shook. "Inuyasha, you're scaring me. What happened?" He shook his head against her shoulder and shifted his grip so that he sat on the bed with her in his lap, careful to keep his face from her searching gaze. _

"_Kagome…she." He stopped and took a shuddering breath. "She cheated on me, Kagome. That bitch was with another man!" Gasping, Kagome attempted to pull back, but he tightened his hold on her. Closing her eyes on a wave of tears, she clutched him to her just as tightly and slowly rocked him, murmuring nonsense in his ears. _

"_Oh, Inuyasha," she murmured, tears breaking free to trail down her face. _

"_Kagome," he whispered and allowed her to pull back a little, his arms coming to rest loosely around her waist. She placed her palm against his cheek and pulled his face up so she could see it and her breath caught in her throat. Utter defeat were in his eyes, they were naked, everything was bare to her. "Kagome, can I…" he took a breath. "Can I stay?"_

_She bit her lip and pulled him back against her chest, closing her eyes. "Yes, of course you can. You can stay as long as you want."_

Damn you Kikyo. How could you do this to him?

_Only the moon bore witness to the tender moment between the two, only the star bore witness to the tears that fell from his eyes._

* * *

><p>Inuyasha sighed and turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. If it hadn't been for Kagome, who knows what he would have done? In that one moment of vulnerability, she had been there and Inuyasha couldn't express to her how much it meant to her. It had taken her most of the night to get the story of what had happened out of him and she had been furious.<p>

He chuckled as he remembered the absolute rage on her face.

_That-that…bitch! How dare she?_

He had smiled slightly at her awkward cursing before he'd pulled her back against him and kissed her forehead. They had fallen asleep like that for the rest of the night and most of the morning.

_My little vengeful angel. _

Smiling, Inuyasha got dressed in sweats and walked back to the living room and grabbed his phone, Kagome's face fresh on his mind when the doorbell rang. His heart skipped a beat as Kikyo's words echoed in his head.

_I'll be by after work today._

"Oh shit," he whispered, swallowing thickly. He hadn't seen her since that night and as he approached the door, it all came rushing back.

His face was set in a furious scowl when he swung open the door, prepared to send her packing on her ass, but he froze. Standing, staring at her feet, two suitcases by her dainty feet, and the smell of tears radiating from her, stood Kagome.

"Kagome?" he murmured. Said girl, jerked her head up and his heart squeezed when he saw the tears on her cheeks. Quickly wiping them away, she sniffled and tried to smile.

"Inuyasha." Her whole body seemed to go soft when she saw his face. The resolve that had kept her together this far crumbled under his concerned gaze. "I tried to call…" she whispered, her lips beginning to quiver. Against her will, more tears slipped out the corner of her eyes. Cursing, Inuyasha pulled her against his chest and her resolve cracked and she sobbed openly against his chest, her hands clutching at him in earnest.

Scooping her into his arms, he nudged her suitcases in with his foot then closed the door. Sitting into the recliner with her in his lap, he brushed her bangs away from her face and waited patiently for her sobs to die down, all the while his mind racing.

When her sobs had stopped, as well as her quivering, she pulled back enough to wipe her face clean. "I'm sorry to come to you like this, Inuyasha," she murmured, refusing to meet his gaze. Sighing, he tipped her face up.

"Stop talking nonsense. What happened?"

She stood from his lap and wrapped her arms around herself. She needed to stand on her own a moment. This was her problem, not Inuyasha's. She rubbed her arms against the sudden chill. "Koga left me," she whispered, knowing he'd hear her. When a string of foul curses lit the air, her lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. "He left about a month ago. He took all the money with him. I…I didn't have enough to pay for the apartment, so I was evicted." She turned to him, her eyes earnest. "I would have gone to my mother's but she's barely making ends meet as it is and…I didn't know where else to go." She bit her lip and waited to see what he'd say.

"Goddamn it, Kagome. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you!" She shook her head, frowning.

"It wasn't your problem, it was mine. I thought I could make it work, but he was the one that paid most of the rent and with you so busy, I didn't want to—"

She gasped when he grabbed her arms and shook her a little. "You idiot! Don't you know anything? I would have done whatever it took to help you! I would do _anything_ for you. I thought you knew that by now!"

She stared after him when he paced away, then back again, muttering under his breath. Her heart was jumping uncontrollably and she couldn't seem to catch her breath.

"Inuyasha…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" Sighing, she rubbed her hands over her face as weariness settled into her bones and the anger, the sadness that had kept her going had long since drained away, leaving her swaying on her feet.

Inuyasha stopped in front of her and sighed himself. Wiping a stray tear with his thumb, he shook his head. "I'm going to kill that fucking wolf," he said with heat, his eyes flashing. A tremulous smile broke out on her face. Her lips were swollen and red, and Inuyasha had to stop himself from plundering that mouth. He had been trying to keep himself from her in respect of the wolf, but with him gone, nothing stood in his way. "Go put you're things in the bedroom. We'll talk more tomorrow."

With a brilliant smile on her face, she threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you! I promise I'll try and find a place as soon as possible and—" Once again, he cut her off. Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her forward and silenced her with his lips, unable to stop himself. He had intended at first to simply shut her up and let her know of his intentions. His lips were tender and soft at first as they tried to coax a response from her. Her eyes wide, Kagome stood frozen. But then the scent of pine wood and masculinity wrapped around her and she knew this was _Inuyasha_. The same Inuyasha she had been fighting her feelings for, for years and the same Inuyasha that she had wanted since she'd met him at the tender age of sixteen. Closing her eyes on a sigh, she met him eagerly and pressed against him. As she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, his desire that had been building for her for months finally burst and he increased the pace.

Hungry and urgent, he devoured her until there was nothing left but earnest desire. Clutching her against him, he plundered her mouth like he'd wanted to. Without the wolf to get in his way, she was soft and compliant in his arms. And it had never tasted sweeter.

Moaning, he walked her backwards until her back hit the wall. He trailed one hand to grab the back of her knee, he pull her leg up to hook around his hips, grinding eagerly against her heat. She gasped and lifted her hips to meet his. She had been wanting this for years and held none of her desire back. Their mixed breaths grated harshly in the silent air and it thrilled her to her core, heat pooling between her legs. Dragging her mouth away from his, she latched onto the side of his neck with thirsty lips as her frantic hands pulled at the strings holding his sweats onto his narrow hips.

Growling, he grasped her hands and held them against his chest as he rested his forehead against hers. "Kagome," he gasped, his breath harsh. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed and her lips bruised, but her eyes heady with desire. "God, I've wanted to do that for months."

Her smile grew coy. "I've wanted you to do that for years." He groaned when her fingers pulled away from his to trace patterns against his bare chest.

"I don't want this to be a one night thing, Kagome," he rasped as she dipped her head to lap at his collar bone.

She pulled back and framed his face with her hands. "Inuyasha. I want you, all of you, everyday and every night, for as long as you'll let me."

His heart squeezed and he kissed her tenderly. She kissed him back softly and caressed his cheek with her hand.

"I want you, Kagome. God, I want you more than anything I've wanted my whole life."

She pulled back and pushed gently on his shoulders. When he growled deeply, she simply gave him a coy grin, and pulled out from between him and the wall. "Then come and get me, Inuyasha," she whispered huskily. A feral grin blossomed on his face and his ears twitched. Uttering a small growl, he shot toward her and she ran with a little squeal of excitement, her laughter trailing after her throughout the empty apartment.

* * *

><p><strong>(AN: This is just the first installment of a drabble series I've decided to start. There will NOT be regular updates, so please don't expect them. I've finally decided to try my hand at them, and they will most likely be mostly Inuyasha Kagome paring, but there might be others. I hope you enjoyed this one, and look out for my next one! Thanks for reading, I would love to heard your thoughts!)<strong>

**Jane**


	2. Never Mine

**Never Mine**

**Disclaimer: **_Don't own Inuyasha and Co._

"Kagome, can you grab that box over there and hand it to me?"

Kagome looked up from her attempted assembly of the bookshelf. Even attempt wasn't the correct way to describe the monstrosity of screws and precisely cut blocks of wood strewn around the petite girl's legs. Looking up from her latest failed endeavor to read the directions, she grabbed the small box of kitchen utensils her former roommate pointed to and slid it across the hardwood floors toward her friend.

Sango was finally making the plunge and moving in with her long time perverted boyfriend. Kagome was happy for the couple, she truly, truly was but now when she came home, it was to a sparsely furnished apartment that echoed in emptiness.

Refusing to dwell on it, Kagome sighed in frustration and gave up the ghost. Standing up, she dusted off the seat of her jeans and made her way over to her friend, who was quietly debating the kitchen's layout to her boyfriend. Miroku looked lost as he listened to Sango's excited description of how the remodeled kitchen would look once she was done. When he saw Kagome approach, he gave her a pleading look and she smiled.

"Miroku, why don't you try to get the bookshelf put together and I'll help Sango with the kitchen?" Her smile turned into a chuckle at his grateful nod. He turned to kiss Sango's cheek and quickly escaped. Sango sighed and watched after him, her eyes bright and _happy._ Kagome had known Sango for a long time and never before had she seen her as happy as she was with Miroku, faults and all.

"Sometimes, I wonder how the man will survive when we get married," Sango murmured to Kagome and laughed softly. Kagome's smile froze and she quickly turned to her friend.

"Married?" she squeaked and her eyes were wide when they met Sango's. "You guys are engaged? Why didn't you tell me!"

Sango smiled and shook her head. "Oh he hasn't asked me formally yet but we've talked about it a lot and we have agreed that we will get married, but not for a little while. We're seeing how we do living together. I mean, you never really know someone until you live with them, right?"

Kagome gave a small nod and a relieved smile. "Right."

_Why did the idea of them getting married give me that terrible feeling?_ She wondered later that night as she headed to her empty apartment.

Because that means you'd really be alone.

_No just because Sango and Miroku are married doesn't mean that they'll stop being my friends._

But they'll have their own lives. They'll be busy starting a family and they won't have time for you. You probably won't ever see them but once or twice a year. You won't be a part of their lives anymore.

Kagome bit her lip and shook her head. She was worrying over nothing. Sango and Kagome had been friends for years and Kagome and Miroku had known each other almost as long. The three of them had been through everything together and just because Sango and Miroku were now a couple didn't mean that would change their friendship.

You know what they say, two is company but three is a crowd.

Kagome shut out that voice of doubt in her head and sighed as she pulled into the apartment building. She lugged a box that Sango had given her to keep up the flight of stairs and juggled the box against her hip as she searched for the key to her apartment.

"Stupid wench, let me take that," a gruff voice said from further down the hall and Kagome's hand froze on her keys. Her heart dropped then raced up to her throat. Her hand involuntarily clutched the keys tighter to hide the trembling and she turned to look up at him.

"Inuyasha," she whispered. He looked down at her with dark eyes and a knowing smirk. Without asking, he grabbed the slipping box from her hands and his smirk grew as a blush stole up her cheeks as his hand brushed hers.

She shook her head and attempted to smile at him and turned back to her forgotten keys. Her fingers ached from clutching them so tightly and they shook as she tried to put the key in her lock and pushed open the door. Inuyasha followed her in and set the box down by the door as Kagome set down her purse on her kitchen counter.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to him and gasped as she found him not a foot from her. Her hand came up to her throat as she looked up into his smoldering golden eyes and against her will, her heart began to race and she felt that familiar heat rush through her stomach.

"Inuyasha…Did-" She cleared her throat, but couldn't look away from him. "Did you need something?"

He stepped closer and her back pressed against her counter and she was effectively trapped by his body. His hand lifted and whispered against the sensitive skin of her cheek. She bit her lip and forced herself not to gasp.

"I saw you struggling and I decided to be a good neighbor and help you out. Is that such a bad thing?" He asked and bent his head forward to bury his sensitive nose into the side of her neck. Her breath shuddered out of her and she closed her eyes. How she hated and loved what he did to her. How could he have her panting with just one look? How can he have so much power over her?

"N-no," she breathed and her fingers clutched the counter tightly enough to turn her knuckles white.

_Don't give in. Tell him to leave. Tell him you want him to leave!_

"Good," he whispered against her neck and a shiver danced down her spin and against her will, her head tilted to allow him better access to her neck. His lips skimmed up to her ear to part and allow his tongue to tease her jaw line. She struggled to breathe and gasped softly. "Because I was thinking…"

He trailed off as his mouth worked its way down the other side of her neck and back again and pluck at each corner of her mouth. She wanted to say his hands were tender as they grasped the ends of her shirt and snaked under. But she had stopped thinking anything about this man was tender. Passionate and patient he could be, but never soft and tender.

"Yeah?" she said, and hated how it came out more as a moan than a whisper.

"Since Kikyo is gone on a business trip, I could spend some time with my favorite neighbor."

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to keep the tears from gathering and killed the disappointment before it could rise. She had known it wasn't just him coming to see her to spend time with her. Since when did he ever spend time with her without wanting to screw around? He loved his wife and would never leave her. But they hadn't had sex in almost a year and what Inuyasha couldn't get from his beautiful and frigid wife, his young and impressionable neighbor was more than happy to provide.

She felt the disgust at her weakness rise in her throat and grew desperate. Her hands were impatient when they returned his careful caresses with fervor. She could do nothing but love this man even though he felt nothing but a passing lust for her. She had loved him from the moment she had laid eyes on him and she had been lost since then. Lost in shame and lost in love.

"Kagome." He breathed her name as she pushed him down onto the floor and crawled her way up his body. For just a moment, she could fool herself into thinking that he was hers and only hers. That they were together and nothing about what she was doing was wrong; that she wasn't his mistress but only Kagome. She could pretend it was just them, Inuyasha and Kagome. No one else.

Inuyasha arched his back and shouted her name and Kagome gave herself over to it and cried his name over and over again. Spent she collapsed on top of him and breathed in his scent. He reached up and skimmed his hands through her hair and gave a long satisfied sigh.

"Fuck, Kagome. Only you do this to me," he whispered against her hair and she buried her face against his chest. She wished she could believe it was true, but she had stopped believing such nonsense a long time ago.

Much later that night, after they had eaten dinner and made love on the couch and in the shower and finally collapsed into bed to sleep it off, did Inuyasha finally turn to her. His face was in shadow and his eyes were unreadable. It was after everything was done and over with that Inuyasha always felt guilty. They went through it each time and Kagome could feel it each time like it was the first time. He regretted loving her. He regretted, probably, ever meeting her in these moments. But it was these moments when Kagome felt her love for him the keenest. It was these moments that Kagome knew as long as this man wanted her, she would never deny him.

"I have to go." His voice was hard and lacked all the passion it'd had moments before as it called out her name. It was this voice that haunted Kagome's mind each night.

"Yeah," she murmured and watched him roll out of bed. He sighed and stood, and her eyes drank in his lithe, muscled form. She hated Kikyo. She really did. How could she be married to this magnificent man and not want him? How could she not know how lucky she was that it was she he loved, that it was her name that was always on his mind?

Stretching lazily, Inuyasha dressed slowly. When he was finally finished, he turned to her and smiled. But the smile never reached his eyes.

Kagome got up and clutched the sheets to her naked body, stepping up to him. She stepped into his open arms and wrapped her own around him, breathed him in, tried to memorize how he felt in her arms. She knew one day, she would no longer have him and she wanted to remember these moments for the lonely nights she would face.

"Kagome." He sighed and pulled away. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her deeply. She clutched at him a moment longer before letting him go and stepping back. As he opened the door, he turned to give her one last smile and said, "I'll never regret this, Kagome. I'll never regret you."

He said that each time he left and they both knew it was a lie. They both knew as soon as Kikyo was back he would refuse to give her more than a passing nod, refuse to even acknowledge that they'd once been friends.

She smiled sadly and didn't bother to hide the tears that filled her eyes. "I know. Me neither."

The door closed after him and she felt empty, dirty, used.

Urgency made her gather her clothes and dress quickly and she was out of her apartment before she could realize what she was doing. Fifteen minutes later she found herself in front of a familiar door and she hesitated. Before she could turn back, the door swung in and a rumbled Kouga stood in its wake.

"Kagome. What are you doing here at this time of night?" he asked around a yawn. His brown hair stood in tuffs on his skull and he stood in nothing but a rumpled pair of boxers. His muscled stomach flexed as he reached forward to pull her into his apartment.

She walked in and couldn't quite meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I should go. Go back to bed." When she tried to turn toward the door, he caught her wrist.

"Kagome, don't bullshit me. You forget I've known you my whole life." When she looked up at him and he saw the tears he cursed. "He did it again, didn't he?" She simply shook her head and crashed into him, sobs heaving her small shoulders and she clung to him.

He whispered nonsense in her ear and rubbed her back. When she had settled down a little and her sobs had been reduced to repetitive whimpers of "I'm such an idiot." "I can't help it."

"Kagome," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Why do you do this to yourself? You can do so much better than him."

She shook her head and simply burrowed in tighter against his body. He sighed and settled them onto the couch with her in his lap. He breathed in her sweet scent and tried to ignore the ache in his chest that occurred each time she came to him like this after seeing _him._ Kouga had been trying to get Kagome to love him for years before she had even met Inuyasha and the fact that he came and went in her life just pissed him off. But he was always there to pick up the pieces of her dignity and put her back together. But then _he_ would come back and the cycle would start all over again.

Kagome just wanted the pain to stop. She wanted to stop hating herself; she wanted to be able to happy for once. Looking up she studied Kouga's face. His jaw was set in a rigid line as he glared a hole into the wall across from them. His blue eyes were hard but his hands were gentle and caring as they lifted and spread the ends of her hair across her back. But despite the fact that she knew Kouga cared for in a way Inuyasha never could, she wished his arms were those of another.

Desperate to end this yearning, this ache, she reached up and placed her hand across Kouga's cheek to get his attention. When he looked down at her with a gentle smile, she adjusted her grip to his neck and pulled his head down to press her mouth against his.

Startled, Kouga froze but soon the scent of her and the feel of her mouth against his made him grip her against him.

"Kouga," she whispered against his mouth as she trailed heated kisses down his throat and back again. "Help me forget. Make love to me, Kouga."

"Kagome, are you sure?" he managed to gasp, even as all the blood rushed down to his throbbing member and he had to hold back a moan as she adjusted herself to straddle his lap.

"Yes." She was desperate, she couldn't keep it in. "Make me forget."

Moaning, Kouga gripped her hips against him and he bucked. He had wanted her since he was sixteen. She had always been there, had always been just out of his reach. And even though he knew another man was on her mind and it was another man she wanted to be under her, he would make her love him. He loved her, and maybe he could make her forget.

After they were spent and panting for breath on the floor, Kagome rolled over and got to her feet. The sun was just peaking up through the windows and she felt tired. Her heart was tired, her head hurt and she couldn't meet Kouga's searching gaze.

"I have to go," she murmured as she gathered her clothes. "I have work in a few hours." The irony of the situation didn't miss her and she gave a wry grin. Once she was dressed she turned to Kouga, to see he had put his boxers back on and his eyes were wary.

She hated herself for doing this to him. She hated herself for her weaknesses and making him bear her mistakes. She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You know I love you Kouga," she said sincerely. "I love you so much."

He closed his eyes and relished in her saying it, even if it wasn't in the way he wished it would be. It was enough for now. It was enough to have her in his arms and to feel her clutch him in turn.

"I know. I love you too Kagome." He let his arms drop and watched as she stepped back. "You're welcome anytime, okay? I'll always be there for you Kagome." She managed a small but sincere smile and turned and left. The door closed behind her, leaving him feeling empty, dirty, used.

* * *

><p><strong>(AN: I finally updated this story. I've been wanted to write this for a long time but I just didn't want to rush it, but I think I ended up rushing it anyway. If you think so as well, PLEASE REVIEW. I need the feedback to know what I need to improve on. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed!)<strong>

**Jane**


	3. What Hands Can Do That Words Cannot

_**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Inuyasha and Co__

_**Only Yours**_

**_What Hands Can Do That Words Cannot_**

"Man," Kagome groaned out as she settled down on the less-than comfortable stump in the clearing. "I could really use a massage!"

Her feet ached as if she had walked across hot coals for the last several hours instead of the rough terrain. Inuyasha had been pushing them to reach the top of the mountain where an ancient demon was rumored to reside. Hoping for a lead for the Jewel's destiny, the group had trooped on through the entire day and well into the night.

Kilala grumbled in agreement and settled down next to Sango. Sighing, Kagome shrugged off her bag and flopped down onto the grass. She had thought she was used to the hiking and the toil it took on her body, but today showed her the contrary.

What really irritated her, though, she thought with a frown, was that the entire time Inuyasha hadn't even acknowledged the humans of the group, almost making it seem as if he forgot they were even there. If it hadn't been for his occasional curse and slower pace, Kagome would have sat him long ago.

The whole group was anxious to be rid of the jewel and its problems, but none as eager, it seemed, as the hanyou. As soon as Naraku had been defeated and the jewel restored to its pure state, Inuyasha had been pushing for answers from Keade and the rest of the group. Finally fed up with his persistence, Keade had told them of a rumored ancient and wise demon who resided on top of the nearest mountain.

Kagome understood his readiness to get rid of the jewel, but she had caught him staring at the innocent stone as it hung around her neck as if it had done him a great disservice.

_I guess I understand his hatred of it,_ she mused, as she turned her head to look as the hanyou while he patrolled around the camp to make sure it was safe. _If something had caused the death of the love of my life, I would be eager to be rid of it too._

The one thing that worried Kagome the most was, despite his obvious dislike of the jewel, he hadn't changed at all since Kikyo's death. He was still brash, he was still insensitive. And while that didn't bother Kagome much, what did was that he hadn't seemed to mourn her passing at all. When they had learned of her demise by the hands of Naraku after the battle, his only sign that he had heard it at all had been the almost imperceptible tightening of his mouth. His eyes had remained hard and his hands had hung limply at his sides. There had been no sign of acknowledgement or sadness in the least. Kagome was worried when his breaking point would finally come to pass, that it would destroy him from the inside out.

"Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked abruptly, breaking into her worries. She blinked and realized she had been gazing steadily at Inuyasha's profile as he scanned the woods. Blushing, she looked over to her smiling friend. The loss of his wind tunnel had caused previous lines that had been pressed into his face to smooth out and his pleasant disposition to return once more. But even Miroku's light heartedness had a limit and fatigue lined his mouth. "What is a 'mass-age'? You talk of them often."

Frowning, she blinked in confusion before she remembered her absent statement. Sango watched from her seat next to Miroku as a dreamy, fond smile found its way onto her friend's face. "They're the best thing to ever be discovered. It's basically when someone rubs at sore or aching muscles to ease the tension and make you feel better. In my time, people train for years to get paid to relieve other people's soreness. It's actually been proven to help with muscle injuries."

Behind her, Inuyasha scoffed and went ignored. Sango smiled at Kagome's enthusiasm. "That sounds lovely. Have you ever had one?"

Miroku watched with amusement as Inuyasha tensed and one triangle ear swiveled to hear the young girl's response. With a mournful sigh, Kagome shook her head. "The only person who's ever given me one was my mom when I strained my shoulder, but she wasn't very good at it." She gave a sheepish chuckle. "She actually ended up making my shoulder worse."

With one eye watchful of his hanyou friend, Miroku turned to Kagome with a wicked smirk on his face. "Have you ever given anyone a massage before? Is it difficult?"

The girl blushed and bit her lip. "Well sometimes, in my time, a massage can mean something more than relieving tension. A lot of couples in my time use massages to help make each other more…ah, romantic, I guess."

"Oh really?" Miroku turned to Sango with raised eyebrows and a small smile. "Maybe I could help relieve you of some of your aches, my love?"

Thrusting her nose in the air, but unable to hide her small blush, Sango huffed. "Not likely with your wandering hanks, monk." Turning to her friend, Sango frowned. "Are there specific places that you get these 'massages'?"

"Not really. There are some people who work out of their house and others that work in things called 'spas'. They're basically places that people go to relax, almost like bath houses. I've never been to one, but I want to one day."

"Like the last thing you need is another fucking day to laze around your time," Inuyasha interjected causing Kagome to jump. Sometimes his silent footsteps really irritated her as she never knew when he would appear like an apparition next to her or when he would disappear into the shadows. She frowned.

"With the way you pushed us today, Inuyasha, I think all of us could use a massage. Come to think of it," she said, scooting closer. Inuyasha scowled at her and tensed. He wanted to lean back from her probing gaze but refused to show the weakness and stood his ground, but he had to clench his fists to stop him from reaching out to her. He was so focused on trying to remain unaffected by her closeness that he didn't notice her hand inching toward him. He gave a damning wince when she gently probed a shoulder that he had landed on when thrown from Naraku during the battle only a week ago. "You could probably use a massage yourself there, Mr. Superman."

"Who the fuck is this 'super man'?" he groused, lurching to his feet. "I'm not a weak ass human like you. I don't get 'sore'."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "Even the most powerful people get sore Inuyasha. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Whatever." He ended the argument by jumping up into a near-by tree. The rest of the group followed his lead and settled down for the night.

Later, when the fire had burned down to mere embers, Kagome lay on her back, staring up at the dark sky.

She sensed movement above her and prided herself on remaining still when Inuyasha landed soundlessly next to her.

"You know, I don't think any less of you for showing any weakness," Kagome murmured quietly without looking at him. She heard the faint rustling of clothing as he settled down next to her.

There was a beat of silence. "I know."

She turned her head to look at him and bit her lip. His face was a blank slate of features to the bright moonlight and seemed as immoveable as marble.

Sitting up, she curled her blankets around Shippo to make up for her lost body heat and scooted close enough that her knee brushed Inuyasha's. He stayed relaxed but made no move to get closer.

"Then can I…" she trailed off and blushed. "Can I try it?"

He said nothing but whipped his head in her direction. Her face was sincere and her eyes hopeful. He could see this 'mass-age' was really important to her, but couldn't for the life of him know why.

"_Well sometimes couples in my time use massages to get in a more…ah, romantic mood." _

_A romantic mood?_ Inuyasha froze, his eyes wide. _Does she want it to be 'romantic'?_

But he could see no ulterior motive shinning in her big brown eyes and shook the thought from his head. She had always been worried about his body, much more so than he had ever been and fretted over every scratch. Inuyasha refused to admit it to even himself, but he enjoyed the attention and soaked up every bit of it. After all, she would probably leave after the jewel was finally gone anyway, so he might as well get as much of her now as he could.

He heaved a sigh to cover up his racing heart and nodded his head reluctantly, the wound to his pride appeased by her answering brilliant smile.

She stood up and ruffled lightly through her bag, looking for her bottle of non-scented lotion. She had learned very early into her adventure with Inuyasha that anything she put on her body needed to be either very lightly scented or not scented at all, otherwise she heard about it for weeks.

She spread out a spare blanket next to the banked fire. Turning to him, she gave him a shy smile. "Lay down on your stomach and take off your haori."

Inuyasha hesitated and looked at the offered blanket for a moment. He had been fighting his instincts for months now and knew that whatever would happen tonight, Kagome would be touching his bare flesh and he was a little worried about what might happen. Sighing when he saw her expectant expression, he laid his sword next to the blanket and shrugged himself of his haori, leaving him bare from the waist up and lay as she instructed, with his back to her.

Kagome chewed on her lip and she contemplated how best to approach it. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she settled herself on his lower back, her knees on either side of his hips. She felt him tense slightly as she brushed his hair off his back to the side and held her breath, waiting for him to shove her off. But he merely took a deep breath and relaxed once more.

Smiling, she squirted a generous amount of lotion into her hand and spread it evenly into his shoulders. Inuyasha sucked in a breath at her first tentative touch to his shoulders and forced himself to breathe evenly. Her hands were inexperienced and occasionally pressed in the wrong places, causing him to flinch. But after a few moments, she began to get the hang of it and her hands became more confident and her presses firmer and more practiced.

Sighing, Inuyasha relaxed fully into her touch and let his eyes slide closed. His ears remained alert to her slightly increased heart rate and even breathing as she leaned closer to him to reach the back of his neck. A shiver ran down his spine as she hit a particularly sensitive spot and arousal shot straight through him.

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat as a steady, deep vibration began in Inuyasha's chest and she paused. The rumble grew a little louder once she resumed and began to knead the area around his left shoulder she knew had been bothering him lately.

Adding more lotion to her hands, she began to work her way down his back closer to his hips. She stifled a giggle when he arched into her touch and sighed. Her legs became weak, however when, as she reached the small of his back, his hips bucked into her hands and he gave a strangled moan.

She had never seen him this lost to sensations before and she felt more than a little empowered that her touch had caused him this much pleasure. Giving a small smile, she pressed harder and rubbed her thumbs in slow, deep circles in the muscles surrounding his lower back.

She squeaked when Inuyasha abruptly rolled his hips into her hands and lifted her off the ground with him. She couldn't control the wave of heat that shot through her when his hips gave another helpless buck into her hands.

Unable to control himself or his raging arousal anymore, Inuyasha rolled his hips around so he was lying on his back with her in his lap and sat up. Kagome gave a sharp gasp as he crushed her to his chest and covered her mouth with his in a searing, hot kiss.

She could feel his hands on her back that held her to him tremble the slightest bit before fisting in her shirt. Before Kagome could even begin to draw a breath of air and respond to his firm perusal of her mouth, she found herself on her back and Inuyasha nowhere to be seen.

Her breath came out of her mouth in shocked pants and her heart was lodged in her throat. She touched a hand to her aching mouth and blinked.

_What the hell just happened?_

* * *

><p><strong><em>(AN: Wow, okay it's been a really long time. Even as I was writing this, it felt like it's been years, but its only been a few months. Well, this idea popped into my head one night and I just went with it. Now I might make a sequel, but only if you review and tell me to. After all, how can I cater to my readers needs when they don't tell me what they want? I hope you enjoyed it, if you have an criticism, hopefully constructive, tell me what I can improve on. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!)<em>**

**_Jane_**


	4. Botch

**Botch**

**_(n) _a clumsy or poor piece of work; a clumsily added part or patch; a disorderly or confused combination**

It always amazed Kagome exactly how she got herself in situations like the one she was presently. Honestly, she wondered if the gods just made her this way in purpose for their amusement. That seemed the more plausible explanation, because there was _no way_ she could be this way by nature alone.

She had been only a few yards in the forest at the edge of the village, looking for a private batch of bushes to relieve herself when she'd felt a small brush of youkai against her senses. She had been about to turn tail and run back to the village and her protector but hadn't made it far when a tentacle had knocked her down. When she had gained her feet she had run in the first direction she could find, and that, unfortunately, was in the opposite direction of the village and the well.

Kagome's breath burned in her lungs as she dodged yet another dangerous tentacle.

She also wondered if all tentacle wielding demons sought her out on purpose.

A scream tore from her throat as she felt the wind by her ear be disturbed by a flying branch that had been dislodged. Her legs pushed her through the foliage of the forest and her eyes sought familiar landmarks.

_Inuyasha!_

She opened her mouth to scream his name, but was cut off from a weight crashing into her back and sending her sprawling onto the ground. Her palms were scraped raw from the rough ground and she narrowly missed biting her tongue in half as her teeth slammed together.

She struggled to breathe as the weight remained on her back. She began to struggle when she heard a very welcome and loved voice growl in her ear.  
>"Stay down, wench, or I swear to God I'll finish you off myself."<p>

"Inuyasha," she gasped and her whole body went limp in relief. Inuyasha was there to save her again. His weight on her back lifted and she heard the soft sound of his feet on the packed ground as he sprinted toward his opponent.

Rolling onto her back, Kagome surveyed the situation, much calmer now that her protector was there to keep her relatively safe. A very large, very ugly youkai thrashed in the clearing, it's tentacle where limbs would be attempting to impale Inuyasha. Kagome didn't look at it for very long and instead scanned the clearing that had been cleared out during her struggle. At the edge of the clearing, Kagome could see her bow and arrows that Inuyasha must have brought when he'd noticed her absence and sensed the youkai.

She glanced once more at the fight and saw Inuyasha was batting away the tentacles with the broadside of his sword, attempting to get close enough to deal the fatal blow.

The bow and arrows were only a hundred yards from where she lay. Praying for the youkai to stay distracted, Kagome gained to her feet and kept her eyes on her prize as she sprinted across the clearing.

She heard Inuyasha cursed luridly and tried to run harder, knowing her time was running out. When she heard a body hitting a tree behind her, she looked back in time to see Inuyasha fall to the ground, his sword flying a few feet from his limp hand.

Her feet attempted to skid to a stop, but couldn't find purchase. Her legs fell out from under her just as the youkai sent a deadly tentacle toward her head. As she landed on her back, she watched as the attachment missed her head by centimeters and felt her blood go cold.

Inuyasha was going to kill her.

That is, assuming the youkai didn't.

Sure enough, she heard another foul curse. "Kagome! What the fuck did I _say_?"

She paid him no mind and rolled away, missing yet another intended blow to her person. Getting to her feet once more, she kept her head low and ran the last few yards to her weapon. Skidding to a halt on her knees next to it, she grabbed it and notched an arrow with practiced ease and fluidity.

Her eyes were hard and focused as they trained on the rapidly advancing demon. Drawing her bow taut, she whispered, "Hit the mark!"

Her fingers released the string and a bright pink light encased the arrow. All she saw was a flash of purifying light and Inuyasha's thunderous curse, and then the demon was gone.

For moment, there was nothing but silence before Inuyasha's gruff voice cut through it.

"What the fuck did I tell you, Kagome? I told you to _stay down_. But did you listen to me? No! You never listen to me and I swear you're going to get yourself into trouble and I won't be there to save you." As he ranted, he sheathed his sword with a flash of light and stalked toward her. Kagome lowered her bow, but didn't bother getting to her feet, instead watched as he approached. "You wouldn't last two seconds without me around. Knowing you, you'd probably walk right into a snake youkai nest without your stupid bow. What the hell would you do if I wasn't there to save you all the fucking time?"

She smiled up at him as he stopped a few feet from her. Reaching up with her free hand, she wordlessly asked for help up. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Inuyasha reached down to haul her to her feet. But she tightened her grip on his hand once she was on her feet. Her smile turned bright and tender.

"You'll always be there to save me, Inuyasha."

Grumbling, Inuyasha refused to admit that his ego boosted at her faithful claim.  
>"Yeah, whatever. How the hell did you get into this mess?"<p>

His question reminded her of the reason why she had left the hut in the first place and Kagome felt her bladder shrink to the size of a pea in seconds. Dancing anxiously from foot to foot, Kagome shoved her bow into Inuyasha's surprised hands.

"Hold that thought, Inuyasha."

He watched as she ran into a cluster of bushes and sighed.

_What the hell am I going to do with you, Kagome?_

His thought was interrupted by her scream. Dropping her bow to the ground, Inuyasha had run in front of her with his sword drawn before she could suck in the breath to scream again.

"What? Another demon?"

"No! A s-spider! Kill it, Inuyasha! Kill it, kill it, kill it!"

He stayed frozen for a second before turning to look at her cowering a good three feet away from a spider web.

He had to admit, the spider was a pretty decently sized one, but his bruised ego refused to let him let it go.

"You screamed because of a god damn _spider?_ God Kagome, I thought you were being attacked again!"

She didn't take her eyes from the monstrosity of a spider, her body quivering slightly.

Sighing, he walked up and slapped his hands together over the spider, effectively kill it. Kagome looked at him in disgust.

"Eew! You killed it with your hands?"

"What the hell else would I use?"

"I don't know; a rock or something, but not your _hands_! Go wash them, that's disgusting!"

He began to turn to do as she wished, but stopped when an idea got into his head. He turned to her with a devilish smirk and opened his arms wide in invitation.

"Come on, Kagome. Doesn't your hero deserve a hug?"

She shrank back from him, her eyes wide with panic. "No! Inuyasha, don't touch me! Go wash your hands!"

He continued to advance towards her slowly, his smirk growing with each step. "Not even a kiss? Don't leave me all alone, Kagome! I just want some affection."

She stared at his spider-smeared hands for a moment, then looked at his face. In his eyes, laughter danced and his face was stretched with the biggest smile she'd seen him wear yet. An idea popped into her mind and she gave him her own coy smile.

"Sure thing, Inuyasha."

Slipping past his outstretched hands, she stepped up and pressed her mouth against his, then ducked around him to head back to clearing, leaving him sputtering and blushing behind her.

She giggled behind her hand as she gathered her forgotten bow and arrows. Inuyasha gained his senses a moment later and, still sporting a raging blush, went to wash his hands of the insect guts.

_All's fair in love and war, Inuyasha. Even this clumsy wench has a few tricks up her sleeve._

* * *

><p><strong><em>(AN: I've decided to try and use a word to inspire my next forty one shots in this story. I've seen many authors do it and I thought it would be harder than it was but this is only the first one. If you have any words you want me to use to inspire my next one send it on over! I hope you enjoyed it. It turned out a little more mushy than I'd intended, but what happens happens. Thanks for reading!)<em>**

**_Jane_**


	5. Disport

**Disport**

_**(v) to divert or amuse; to display in a sportive manner**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha and Co.**_

Their fights over her were legendary, as was her ignorance to it all. Not many knew exactly when they had begun to fight over her, or if they both truly cared for her in the manner they claimed.

It hadn't always been a feud, or a competition between them. Once upon a time they had been best friends, had faced the world with its discriminations together. Them against the world was how they used to think. They used to be as close as brothers…

* * *

><p>"Hey, Inuyasha!" a voice hissed. Said half demon looked up from his math homework he had been pretending to do and grinned when he saw Kouga in the doorway to his classroom. Inuyasha was stuck in after school tutoring due to his crappy grades in math and it was often that Kouga came to 'break him out' as Kouga like to put it.<p>

Inuyasha looked from him friend to the math teacher at her desk, her glasses sliding down her nose and her eyes struggling to stay open. Her head lolled forward as she gave up the ghost. Moments later, he heard her breathing deepen, signaling she was asleep.

Smirking, Inuyasha gathered his things, not bothering to be quiet. Kouga had slipped a few cold medication pills into her drink that would knock her out for at least an hour if not more. As soon as Inuyasha was within reach, Kouga wrapped an arm around his neck, despite his height difference and dragged him down the hall after him.

"Thanks man," Inuyasha said, grinning. "I was going to break something if I had to stay in there a minute longer." He paused and chanced a look back at the classroom. "You don't think that she'll know it was us, do you?"

Kouga let his best friend go to cross his arms across his chest cockily. "Are you kidding? She'll have no idea! I slipped it in her drink at lunch, so she was feeling the symptoms long before school was even over."

Inuyasha relaxed and grinned. "I don't know what I would do without you, man."

Kouga laughed and clapped his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Probably die an awful and horrible death from boredom. After all, it's us against the world, isn't it?"

Inuyasha straightened his shoulders and nodded, his face somber, but his eyes dancing happily. "Yeah. Us against the world. Bros for life."

* * *

><p>All throughout middle school and high school, they stayed as close as blood. But then college hit and they met her…<p>

* * *

><p>"Um, excuse me."<p>

Inuyasha and Kouga looked up at the feminine voice and simultaneously, their jaws dropped. Before them stood a young girl around their age. Her long raven locks were pulled back into a high ponytail, her big bright brown eyes looked at them warmly. She gave them a sheepish shy smile that went straight to Inuyasha's heart.

_She's gorgeous,_ he thought dazed.

"Could you please direct me to English 101? I just transferred here."

For a moment, neither moved, then Kouga jumped to his feet and snatched her free hand up in his. Turning on the charm, he gave her a crooked smile and stared into her eyes, his own bright blue ones sparkling micheviously.

"Of course, lovely lady. I would love to help you with anything you needed."

The girl was taken aback and looked over at Inuyasha, as if asking for assistance as she attempted to pull her hand from his. "Oh, uh, that's very kind of you. But I just need to know where English 101 is."

Inuyasha felt a strange urge to shove Kouga away from her, to keep him from touching any part of her. Shaking his head, he pushed the urge away. He should be used to Kouga's attention to anything of the female gender. So why his moves on this particular girl bothered him, Inuyasha couldn't say.

When her eyes connected with his, however, he felt as if he'd been sucker punched. Her brown eyes were warm and kind when they met his, with none of the wariness he'd come to expect once girls recognized him for what he was. But there was nothing but kindness in her eyes alone with a little bit of pleading.

Getting to his feet, Inuyasha slapped a hand on his best friends shoulder. "Kouga, you're scaring her. Back off."

Kouga shook off his hand with a little more attitude than he'd expected. He turned to Inuyasha with a frown. "She doesn't look scared." Turning to the girl, he gave her a 100 watt smile. "Are you?"

She gave a nervous laugh and once again attempted to pull her hand from his. "No, no of course not."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Yo, Kouga. I see Ayame. She's with that idiot Hojo again."

His friend's head whipped up and his eyes scanned the courtyard. "Where? I fucking told her to stay away from that idiot." Letting go of the girl's hand, Kouga was gone in a rustle of wind. The girl gave a sigh of relief and gave Inuyasha a bright smile.

"Thank you. He was just a bit…amorous." Inuyasha gave her a small smile and looked to where his friend was confronting one of his many girlfriends.

"Yeah, he's very affectionate. So which room was it you needed to find?"

"Oh, English 101. I'm still not used to the campus, I only moved here a few weeks ago."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "I have English 101. I can walk you there if you want?"

Half expecting her refusal, he was pleased when she nodded eagerly, brushing back the bangs that fell into her eyes in the process. She hitched her books higher in her arms and offered him a hand.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi."

He took her hand gingerly, as if she were made of porcelain. "Inuyasha."

"Nice to meet you Inuyasha," she replied with a bright smile. Her hand was warm and her eyes were trusting as they gazed up at him.

In that instant, Inuyasha was lost.

* * *

><p>Ever since that moment, the two boys' friendship slowly, but surely fell to pieces. As the years rolled by and Kagome became a friend to both of them, their feelings were made clear. Inuyasha wished to have a relationship with her, could see them having a family together, and growing old together. Kouga, however, did not see any of these things. He saw that Kagome was a great girl. He wanted to date her, woo her, make her his. But beyond that point, he didn't think about. They both tried to garner her attentions secretly, but soon it became less about Kagome's feelings and more about beating each other.<p>

* * *

><p>Inuyasha sighed as he leaned against the bar. The club music pounded relentlessly in his ears, echoing in his head in a grinding headache.<p>

He hated clubs with a burning passion. It was nothing but loud, obnoxious music and an excuse for humans and demons alike to grind on strangers and get trashed. It was unsanitary and the people that came here were rude.

_Kagome so better be here._

It was her birthday and Inuyasha had wanted to plan a special day for just the two of them, but Kouga had gotten a hold of her first and taken her to this hell hole.

_Which is stupid because Kagome hates these places just as much as I do._

Feeling smug and confident that as soon as Kagome saw him, she would beg to be taken away and they could have the special day he'd been planning all week, Inuyasha scanned the grinding bodies for the sight of his friend.

He spotted her on the other end of the bar, with her elbows resting against the wood behind her and her face contorted in frustration.

No Kouga in sight.

Smirking in satisfaction, he began to make his way toward her. Shoving people none too gently out of his way, he was stopped by a hand landing on his shoulder. Inuyasha paused and looked over his shoulder with a scowl that only intensified when he saw Kouga glaring at him.

Turning to face him, Inuyasha curled his lip at him. Kouga and he had leveled out to be around the same height. But Kouga had more brute strength in his wide shoulders and chiseled chest. Inuyasha was built leaner and had Kouga beat in speed, though neither would admit it.

They glared at each other for a moment before Kouga broke the tension. "What the fuck are you doing here, mutt?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought that much was obvious, idiot. I certainly didn't come here to see your ugly ass."

Kouga's scowl became dark. "I don't know how many times I have to beat it into your head, but Kagome is _mine_. Back off."

Inuyasha sneered at him. "Shows what you know. You just want her for a piece of ass. I actually _care _about here."

"She would never condescend to be with a dirty mutt like you."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed dangerously and he stepped up so that they were nose to nose. "What the fuck did you just call me?" he growled, red bleeding into the corners of his eyes.

"You heard me, or do I have to say it in simpler terms for your underdeveloped mind?" Kouga growled back, his tail bristling behind him and his eyes narrowing.

Snarling viciously, Inuyasha was the first to throw a punch that sent Kouga reeling back. Smirking at the sight of his shocked face, he ignored the pain in his hand. They had thrown insults galore over the years but it had never gotten physical between them. It had come close many times until tonight.

"Learn your place half breed!" Kouga barked a second before he lunged at Inuyasha. They went crashing against the bar, sending shot glasses flying and the bartender cursing. Inuyasha cursed when Kouga's elbow caught him in the chin and he saw stars. Throwing his weight into it, he sent Kouga back into the crowd, following up with a punch to his nose when he'd regained his balance.

Inuyasha chanced a look over his shoulder at where he'd last seen Kagome, knowing she hated it when they fought. What he saw had him frozen in shock so he didn't stand a chance against Kouga's answering punch. Cursing luridly, he cupped a hand over his left eye and glared up at Kouga.

"Look at the end of the bar, asshole," he growled. Kouga paused and looked at him with suspicion. "Just do it."

Reluctantly, he tore his eyes from his opponent long enough to look where he'd indicated. Scowling, he looked back. "So what, it's just a few Lesbos making out."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Look closer, idiot. Doesn't one of those 'lesbos' look familiar?"

Kouga frowned a looked again. They were both brunettes but as they turned to change positions, Kouga's heart sank. That was _his Kagome_ making out with her _roommate!_

Inuyasha nodded his head when he heard his curse. "What the _fuck!_" Right in front of them, a few yards away, their mutual love interest was making out with her roommate Sango with gusto. Kagome had her pressed against the bar as she plundered her mouth eagerly.

Inuyasha and Kouga looked at each other with mutual wide eyes.

"Maybe she's drunk and doesn't know what she's doing," Kouga murmured, looking stricken. Inuyasha shook his head rather sadly.

"She doesn't drink and you know it."

"Fuck me," he cursed, his shoulders slumped. "I knew she was too fucking hot."

Inuyasha sighed and wrapped an arm around his companion's shoulders, all the years of fighting melting away with their hopes. "Come on, let's get wasted."

* * *

><p>Kagome pulled away from Sango and dared a look over to where the boys were in time to see them limping away, their arms around each other for support.<p>

"Do you think they bought it?" Sango whispered from under her. Kagome looked back at her roommate and grinned.

"Hook line and sinker."

Sango pulled away and attempted to straighten her hair and clothes. Wiping her mouth with a grimace, she looked at her smug friend. "Are you sure this was the right thing to do?"

Kagome sighed a moment and nodded. "I love them both, but not the way they want me to. And I'm sick of the fact that they let it interfere with their friendship. They were best friends long before I came along and I just wanted them to be friends again. Just telling them that I didn't feel that way didn't seem to work, so I decided to get drastic."

"You do realize that it could have backfired on you and only made you more attractive in their eyes, right?"

Kagome giggled and nodded. "Yeah, but it worked out in the end. Plus, I'd always wanted to try it. You know, experimentation and all that jazz."

Sango rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Well?"

Kagome shook her head with a mischievous grin. "Not my cup of tea, no offense."

"None taken. I don't know what I would have done if Miroku had seen it. I would never hear the end of it."

Wrapping an arm around each other's waists, the girls laughed and made their way onto the dance floor once more.

* * *

><p><strong>(AN: Just so you know, I do not disapprove of homosexual relationships. I encourage them. On another note, I'm not really sure if I like this one, but it popped into my mind and I decided to try it out. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review with your opinions good or bad. Thanks for reading!)<strong>

**Jane**

**PS: I would like to thank those that reviewed thus far on my story:**

**LovesDepp**

**Say0mi Saki**

**fan**

**inuyashahanyou4kagomemiko**

**poems2songs**

**BoredGirl17**

**And I would also like to take my own spin on my thanks and thank those of my readers that made my story a favorite of theirs. It meant just as much as a review did!**

**danilavre**

**darkprincess893**

**hedgewitch13**

**karma-angel113**

**Laura-Star16**

**poems2songs**

**So thank you all! I really appreciate you! If I forgot anyone please tell me and they will be in my next chapter! (Sorry if I misspelled anyone) You're awesome!**


	6. Attention

**Attention**

**(n) observant care; consideration**

"Oh, I can't believe this day finally came," Kagome said around a tissue, her eyes squeezed shut. "I thought your father would have scared away every boy you ever dated and none would stick around."

In front of her, her daughter made a sound in the back of her throat, then released a small chuckle. She placed a hand on her mother's shoulders and guided her gently to the door.

"Well, he gave it his best shot, that's for sure." Kagome nodded her agreement and gave a deep sigh. "Why don't you go make sure your husband hasn't scared mine away?"

Kagome nodded once more and opened the door. She paused before her daughter could turn away. Turning, she gripped her hands and brought them to her chest, over her heart. Her eyes were bright with tears and pride. "You look absolutely beautiful, Yumi. I'm so happy for you. You're going to make a fantastic wife."

Yume smiled gently and blinked back tears of her own. "Oh, Mom. Stop it, or I'll ruin all my make-up."

Kagome smiled and kissed her on the cheek and left the room, leaving her daughter to finish getting ready with her semi-drunk bridesmaids.

Bracing her back against the door, Kagome placed a hand over her heart, a smile stretched across her face.

"How is she?" a gruff voice asked and Kagome looked up. Seeing her husband, his hands tugging at his tie and his usually wild hair tamed into order brought a fresh wave of tears into her eyes.

Seeing her distress, Inuyasha's eyes widened and he felt a small rush of panic. He never did like it when she cried. It was so at odds with the strong, happy woman he knew his wife to be. Stepping towards her, he pulled her against his chest, despite her objections.

"What's wrong, Kagome? Did something happen?"

Kagome shook her head and simply breathed him in.

"No. We just raised a beautiful, wonderful woman."

Inuyasha's shoulder's relaxed. "You didn't know that already? I knew that years ago."

She gave a watery laugh and pushed away slightly, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Oh, silly me." She sighed and leaned against him for one more moment. "I love you."

Inuyasha rubbed her back and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Knew that years ago too."

Laughing, she pulled away and turned him towards the men's rooms. "Go make sure you're future son-in-law isn't getting wasted, and keep Miroku away from the booze too. I don't want him to make a scene."

"Babe, I'm human, not a miracle worker." She laughed and gave him a shove to send him on his way. With one last smile at her, he disappeared behind the oak door.

Kagome sighed once more; she seemed to be doing that a lot today. She could still remember a time when she had agonized over Inuyasha's ambiguous feelings towards her. A time when she had cried herself to sleep, hoping, dreaming of that day she was now experiencing.

* * *

><p>25 Years Earlier<p>

"_Sango, I really just don't know how much more of it I can take," Kagome whispered. Sango made a noise of comfort and continued to rub her back. Kagome had already long moved past the hysterical crying and had since moved on to the despair. _

"_Come on, Kagome. You've known Inuyasha for years. You should know better than anyone that he has a difficult time expressing what he wants."_

_Kagome raised her tear stained face from her hands and shook her head. "I know but it's not just that. Ever since I started having feelings for him, it's like I don't even exist for him anymore. Like you said, I know Inuyasha, and total abandonment isn't one of the things he does when he cares about someone. If anything he…" Tears gathered in her eyes again. "If anything, he won't leave you alone."_

_Sango looked helplessly at her friend and was at a loss. She had personally only known Inuyasha for a few months, but what she did know was that he was crazy about her. Sango saw it every day, in the way his eyes would track her friend's movements around the room. How he would always be attentive to her needs. So why he was suddenly avoiding his best friend like the plague was beyond Sango's comprehension. _

_When she opened her mouth, they were interrupted by the front door bursting open, swinging to slam against the opposite wall. A frazzled and urgent Inuyasha scanned the room and stopped when he saw Kagome's stricken face._

"_Kagome," he breathed, rushing forward. He was kneeling by her in a second, his eyes fierce and his words careful. "What happened? Are you okay?'_

_Kagome looked down at his beloved face and felt a fresh wave of tears begin to gather in the corners of her eyes. At the look on her face, Inuyasha sent a panicked look to Sango, who threw up her hands in surrender and got to her feet._

"_I'll leave you two alone to work this out," she said, but neither Inuyasha nor Kagome gave any indication they'd heard her. Rolling her eyes, she left the room._

"_Kagome, tell me what happened."_

_She shook her head and buried her face in her hands again. Beginning to feel fear claw a nasty trail up his throat, he caught her by her shoulders. "Please, Kagome tell me what's wrong." His mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. "I can't fix it if you don't tell me what's wrong!"_

_She gave a heart wrenching sob and surged to her feet, her eyes wide and swimming with tears. "It's you, you idiot!"_

_A deafening, pressing silence followed her hysterical words. Inuyasha slowly got to his feet, his eyes never leaving hers._

"_Me? What did I do?"_

"_Nothing! And that's the problem. You've done nothing, but suddenly…" she stopped and shook her head. "Please, I just need to be alone right now."_

"_No, what were you about to say?" He took a step toward her, his heart in his throat and his hands began to sweat. He hadn't dared to hope before, but maybe…_

_She looked at him and sighed, suddenly defeated. "But suddenly, it's not the same anymore. I'm not the same anymore. And it kills me, because you haven't."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

_She huffed and took a step forward, anger raising in her throat, pushing the despair, the sadness away. Poking a finger against his chest, she radiated suppressed aggression. "I'm talking about the fact that I don't see you that same way I used to anymore, idiot. It's different now. I can't stop thinking about you; when I sleep, I dream of you. When I see you, I feel like I'm in high school with a crush on the star quarterback. But you never changed. You're not feeling what I'm feeling. And it…it __**hurts**__."_

_When her shoulders slumped, Inuyasha caught her hands against his chest, his eyes narrowed and his mouth fighting a grin. Seeing his expression, Kagome was prepared to pull away and demand he leave when his grip on her hands tightened and his face grew serious._

"_You don't know what you do to me?" he whispered, a frown beginning to take place over his face. Pressing her hands flat against his chest, his eyes clung to hers. "You don't feel how you make my heart race? You don't know how I can't seem to get one straight thought make its way through my brain whenever you so much as smile at me?" Frustrated, he sighed. "You know I'm not good with words or meaningful gestures. But, jeez, Kagome. Of all the people I know, I thought __**you**__ of all people would know what you do to me."_

_Kagome stared at her hands as they rested in his grasp against his chest. Her hands were dwarfed by his and she could feel the rough pads of his fingers rubbing absent circle along her skin and had to suppress a shudder. Goosebumps erupted along her arms and she looked up into his eyes. She had seen many expressions on his beloved face. She had seen anger, sadness, frustration, self-loathing. But never, in all her years of knowing him, had she seen this expression on his face. It was a mixture of frustration and affection that he had never allowed to cross his features. It was, she hoped, an expression she would become very intimate with._

"_You're such an idiot," she murmured, but before he could open his mouth to argue, rose onto her toes and pressed her grinning mouth against his scowling one._

* * *

><p>"Mom."<p>

Kagome looked up, her smile still prevalent on her face and saw her sixteen year old son looking at her expectantly.

"Dad, wants to know if Yumi is ready yet."

Sighing, she straightened and brushed off the front of her blue dress. "Tell your father to develop a sense of patience. He was just as bad at our wedding. She'll be ready when she's perfect and not a second sooner."

Grinning, Ruke nodded and closed the door behind him. Rolling her eyes, Kagome turned to the door leading to her daughter's dressing rooms. Raising her hand to knock, she paused. She knew Yumi was nervous as any bride could be and knew that her mother's fussing was the last thing she needed. Her heart constricting, she had to fight back more tears.

_She doesn't need me anymore._

Kagome had known this since the day she had begun to live on her own, but it hadn't truly sunk in just how much her daughter had grown up…

* * *

><p>"<em>No, no, no, no, no!"<em>

_Kagome stared at the piece of plastic that had just ruined her entire day with a mixture of horror and apprehension. Maybe it was wrong; maybe she had gotten a defective one. Looking up, she saw the other three plastic sticks all read the same thing. _

_She was pregnant. _

"_No, this can't be happening! How could this have happened?" she groaned, pushing away the pregnancy test. The sight of it made her dizzy. _

_She was still in college, half way through her masters in Business. She and Inuyasha had been dating for little over a year now. But they were nowhere near getting married, certainly not ready for __**children**__. _

_One thought made all the blood run cold in her veins. What will I tell Mom?_

_Helplessness made her chest tighten and she surged to her feet. Running from her bathroom, she didn't even bother with a jacket, instead bearing the bitter cold. Maybe if she ran far enough away from the evidence of her demise, maybe she could pretend it wasn't true, maybe…_

_The biting wind burned on its way into her lungs and Kagome didn't have the energy to keep her legs under her. Collapsing on the steps of her porch, she pulled her knees against her chest. _

_What would she do? Should she tell Inuyasha? What would he say? It was common knowledge that even the mention of children made him nervous, let alone the idea that his girlfriend was pregnant with his child. _

_Wrapping her arms around her stomach, Kagome tried to picture it. Her and Inuyasha with a child of their own. She knew he would be a fantastic father, he had shown that much with her own little brother._

_But playing with your girlfriend's brother was a much different ball game than raising a kid on your own at the age of twenty five. _

"_Oh, God." _

_Inuyasha cursed when he saw her. Her skin had long since begun to pale and her head was bowed. The curtain of her hair hid her expression from his view, but he knew it couldn't be pretty. _

"_Kagome, what the fuck are you doing out here? It's freezing!" Without allowing her to speak, he scooped her into his arms and walked them both into the warmth of their apartment. _

_Her skin was ice against his as he lay her down on the couch. Pulling off his jacket, he went in search of the electrical blanket and a comforter to warm her up. Wrapping the comforter and electrical blanket around her, he began trying to rub some feeling into her fingers._

_She made the first sound since he'd come home not much later. _

"_Inuyasha."_

"_What?" he asked absently, his attention on her frozen fingers. _

"_Inuyasha." The urgency in her voice made him look up at her with attention. _

"_What?" he asked again, his voice wary._

_Her eyes began to fill with tears and he almost missed her next words over his curse. "I'm pregnant."_

_He froze in the middle of pulling her against him and looked down at her with a blank slate of features. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"_

"_I'm pregnant."_

_He stared at her for moment, before horrible comprehension dawned on his face. Jumping up, he jerked his hands back as if burned. Even though Kagome had expected a reaction like this one, it still hurt. It burned a bitter way down her throat, but she swallowed her fear._

"_Kagome, that isn't fucking funny." His voice shook and he rubbed his hands nervously against his jean clad thighs. His eyes refused to meet hers, instead darted around the room._

_Slowly getting to her feet, she kept her gaze glued on his face. Biting her lip, she didn't respond, knowing her silence would be an answer enough. _

_Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair, the first signs of panic beginning to show through. "Holy shit," he muttered. Against his will, his eyes sought out hers. "Holy shit, Kagome."_

_Nodding, more tears fell from her eyes and she dared a step towards him. He watched her and made no move towards her. "Holy shit, Kagome." Raw fear was prevalent in his voice and it made Kagome's heart twist painfully._

_Walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around his middle tightly, feeling relieved when his arms came around to clutch her against him. She could faintly detect his body shaking and could hear his racing heart. _

_She only nodded her head mutely. _

_Rubbing a hand along her back, Inuyasha's mind went into overdrive. A baby? They were going to have a baby?_

_Abortion was always an option, but he knew, no matter how much children scared him, he would never put Kagome through that. It would kill her._

_What about putting it up for adoption?_

_No, Kagome would be miserable knowing that her child could be in a foster care home of some crack dealers or something._

_Sighing, Inuyasha knew he only had one option. _

_Placing a kiss against her hair, he forced himself to calm down. And even though fear made him break out into a cold sweat, he murmured against her hair, "We'll be okay. We'll figure it out."_

* * *

><p>"And do you, Yumi Takahashi, take Scott as your lawfully wedded husband…"<p>

Kagome looked away from her daughter's beaming, blushing face when she felt Inuyasha nudge her with his arm gently. Looking up at her husband's face, she saw the concern that had yet to leave his features all day.

"Are you okay?" he mouthed to her. Her smile slipped a little bit as she considered his question. Ever since she had found out she was pregnant, Kagome had been dreading this day. The day that her child no longer needed her, no longer would go to her with a problem, with laughter or tears. But as she looked away and up at her daughter's blissful face, she knew that she would be happy. She knew that her daughter was in careful, attentive hands and she would never be lacking.

And she knew that no matter how far away her daughter moved, she would always come to her mother with her problems and her joys. Kagome would always have her daughter.

Turning back to her husband, a bittersweet smile stretched her lips. Her eyes shinned with unshed tears. "Yeah," she whispered, reaching up with a hand and running it down his cheek lovingly. "Yeah, I'll be just fine, as long as you're here with me."

Blushing slightly, but smiling, Inuyasha grabbed her hand and grazed a kiss along her knuckles. "Always," he murmured against her skin. Smiling, they turned to watch the union of another generation into happiness.

* * *

><p><em>(AN: Wow, that one took me a whole week to finally finish. Not so much on the writing of it, but really motivating myself to finish it. So if it's rushed and not really that good, I'm truly sorry, but I'm determined to do my, as I'm going to call it, 40 Shots at Inuyasha and Kagome. I've never really finished any goal, writing wise, that i've set for myself and I'm going to finish this one if it kills me. So if some of them are bad, I'm sorry in advance. Thank you for reading and it would be greatly appreciated if you reviewed! <em>

_As always, thank you to those of you (the two of you) that reviewed: **Silent Shootting Star** and **LovesDepp**. You guys are awesome!)_

_Jane_


	7. Welsh

**Welsh**

**(v) to cheat by failing to pay a gambling debt; to back on one's word**

"Honestly, Sango. We are too old to be doing this!" Miroku objected, his eyes suspiciously shifty and his face attempting to keep up a bright grin. Sango narrowed her eyes at her husband and smirked.

"You said we could play any game I wanted. Remember?"

His eyes rose to meet hers and he swallowed thickly. He never did like this game, but whenever his wife got an idea into her head, it was near impossible to get it out.

Seeing his defeat, Sango turned to the also slightly apprehensive couple next to her. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other with trepidation, before meeting the eyes of their long time friend. Behind her, Miroku gave them a hopeless shrug and Inuyasha snorted.

"Seriously, Sango. How old are you? Fucking fifteen?" Inuyasha grouched, crossing his arms across his chest. Kagome looked over to her boyfriend and nodded in agreement.

Sango's smirk never wavered. "You all agreed that it was my turn to pick the game, and I pick Truth or Dare."

Kagome sighed and bowed her head. She should have known better than to let her decide on a game. The two couples had been meeting for their bi-weekly game night for years but it had never back fired on them this badly.

Sneaking a glance at her silent boyfriend, Kagome felt her heart squeeze. She and Inuyasha had hit yet another rough patch in their relationship. They had been dating on and off again for years, but she felt as though it was different this time. She felt she couldn't reach him this time. And it tore her apart.

Turning to look at her best friend, Kagome braced herself for the worst. "Fine, Sango. Who goes first?"

Sango's face softened at her friend's defeated face. She had noticed the tension between her college friends and knew they'd had another fight. One of the things that Inuyasha and Kagome shared was their stubborn nature and inability to share their feelings, their fears. Kagome was afraid to show Inuyasha how much he hurt her because she didn't want him to feel guilty about part of his personality that he couldn't help, his uncensored mouth being one of them. Inuyasha still hadn't, even after all these years, come to terms with his need for Kagome in his life and still had moments of panic that led to insensitive remarks to distance himself from frightening feelings.

This often led to many fights that were blown out of proportion due to their inability to communicate. It was one of the main reasons Sango had suggested the juvenile game on the Game Night. Inuyasha and Kagome needed to talk and Sango would see to it they would get everything off their chest.

"It'll be fun, you'll see. But first some ground rules. No dares that involve kissing or sexual situations of someone other than a spouse," with this she glared at her husband, who smiled sheepishly. "Also, if you accept a dare, but cannot go through with it, the person that gave the dare has the right to either a) have a penalty slap or b) come up with a much worse dare." Sango said with confidence, sitting back on her heels.

Settling herself so that her swollen stomach was comfortable, she turned to look at Inuyasha across from her in their loose circle. "Inuyasha, you're first. Truth or dare?"

Inuyasha looked over to his pregnant friend and felt a scowl twist his mouth. He had always hated these fucking games. They left him completely at mercy to the person asking the questions. The fact that Sango picked this game of all games made him suspicious. He knew she was worried over Kagome and him and it left him on edge. Like hell he would pour his heart for everyone in the fucking world to hear.

Without even a moment of hesitation, "Dare."

Sango's face twitched and she looked up at the ceiling in thought. It would probably be best to start of slow, let everyone's guard drop before she made her move. "Fine. I dare you to…not curse for the remainder of the night."

Inuyasha eyed her suspiciously and nodded.

_Too easy…_

"Stupid dare, but whatever." Scanning the faces in front of him, he zeroed in on his girlfriend. "Kagome, truth or dare?"

Startled, Kagome turned to look at him with wide eyes. These games always left her feeling cornered. But she would much rather face the humiliation of truth than be at the mercy of her boyfriend's devilish mind.

"Truth."

He rolled his eyes and couldn't stop a small smile from forming on his face. "Figures. Okay, answer this. And remember, no lying. Did you ever do anything with that fu—fricking guy Kouga?"

Kagome's face froze. Her eyes searched his and she could see his anticipation. She and Kouga had dated long before Inuyasha and her but it had always been a sore topic between the young couple. Scowling, she glared at him. "For the last time, Inuyasha. No; nothing happened between me and Kouga. I've told you that several times!"

Shrugging, he fought the feeling of satisfaction from spreading. He had known nothing happened, but there was always a doubt, a small thought that she might have lied to him about it. But seeing her insulted and frustrated eyes, he knew she was telling the truth. That and she was a shitty liar.

Ignoring him, Kagome turned to Sango.

"Sango, truth or dare?"

"Hm…dare." Sango replied with a smile.

Kagome thought for a fitting dare, something that would make her feel better about having to play the stupid game to begin with. An idea made her face split into a mischievous grin. "I dare you to flash the pizza guy when he gets here."

Sango's mouth dropped open and she eyed her friend with new respect. She would never have thought Kagome could come up with a dare like that one. Grinning back, she gave a brisk nod. "Deal." Turning to her husband, who had been for the most part left alone, she asked: "Miroku, truth or dare?"

Looking nervous, Miroku bit his lip. "Truth." What was the worst thing she could ask?

"Why did you grope so many girls?"

Swallowing, Miroku cursed his luck. No matter what he answered, Sango would probably get mad at him, either because he lied or because he told the truth.

Sighing, he bowed his head. "Pass."

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. She knew why her husband had groped girls, because he was a pervert. But she had assumed that he would willingly admit it. Sighing, she shrugged. "Okay then. Look up, Miroku."

He looked up at her a second before she laid a stinging slap against his cheek. Wincing, he blinked back tears of pain. That was one thing he hadn't missed from his playboy days. And his wife had always packed a mean punch. Attempting to push the pain into the back of his mind, he turned to Kagome.

"Kagome, truth or dare?"

Biting her lip, she looked torn. She wanted to say truth, but she couldn't keep doing that all night; otherwise the game wouldn't really be that much fun. But with Miroku making the dare…

Bracing herself. "Dare."

Miroku's face morphed into one of delight. He racked his brain to come up with the perfect dare while still abiding by the rules his wife had set. "I dare you to tell Inuyasha a fantasy of yours that you've never told anyone."

Kagome's eyes widened and she blushed. Looking over at Inuyasha she saw his confident smirk.

"Nice try, perv," he said, grinning. "But she's already told me all of them." Miroku smirked

"Have you, little Kagome?"

Inuyasha turned to look at his girlfriend and was surprised to see her blush and look the other way, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Kagome?" he whispered. She looked up at him and bit her lip.

"There is this one…" she whispered and her blush intensified. Looking over at Miroku, she asked. "Do I have to only tell him, or do I have to say it out loud?"

"Just him."

Nodding, she turned her body to face her boyfriend. Leaning close so that her mouth was by his ear, she whispered the one fantasy that she hadn't had the confidence to tell him about, let alone try.

Sango and Miroku watched with interest Inuyasha's expression. It started out twisted with confusion before his features opened with surprise, then a blush began to steal up his neck. By the time Kagome had pulled back, his eyes had narrowed with desire and he was shifting in his seat. Looking down at his mortified girl friend, Inuyasha couldn't control the surge of lust that stole through him. Pulling her back, he traced his mouth along the shell of her ear, smirking when she shivered and whispered, "Oh, we're so going to try that out at home."

Kagome's blush intensified to a cherry red and she couldn't stop the rush of anticipation that seized her stomach.

_Man, this night can't go any slower with that kind of promise._

"Kagome, it's your turn to pick someone."

Shaken from her thoughts, she turned back to the juvenile game and the night wore on much in the same fashion. That is, until it was once again Sango's turn.

"Inuyasha, truth or dare?"

As she watched his face, she could feel the anticipation making her restless. She had waited until the couple had relatively dropped their guard, had been relaxed by a few drinks. Now it was time to make her move.

"Dare," he muttered with a confident, if not slightly silly smirk. Next to him, Kagome smothered a giggle and attempted to become sober.

Sango had to stop the wicked smile that wanted to take over her face. Looking into her friend's relaxed and slightly blurry golden eyes, she struck.

"I dare you to tell Kagome about Kikyo."

All movement in the room seemed to freeze. Inuyasha's face became sober and thunderous in a minute. Glaring at Sango, his eyebrows drew together and he crossed his arms in front of him defensively.

"What the fuck are you playing at Sango?"

A silent and sobered Kagome stared from one to the other, her heart aching and racing in her hollowed chest. She clenched her fist over her necklace absently and worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

Of course she knew about Kikyo. She had been friend with Inuyasha for most of his life. How could she not know about his first lost love?

They had met in high school and, according to Inuyasha, it was love at first sight; a thing he no longer believed in.

They were star crossed lovers; never meant to last past the loud and crowded halls of high school. They had dated through their junior and senior year but when college hit, things became bumpy. It was around that time that Kagome finally confronted her feelings for her best friend to herself and realized that she loved him. She also realized that she didn't stand a chance against Kikyo.

So she had kept her feelings, her hurt to herself and watched her best friend slowly run down the path of destruction.

It had started as a mild argument about never seeing each other since they both went to separate colleges. Inuyasha went to a local university with Kagome and Kikyo had gotten accepted out of state, twelve hours away. They had believed they could survive the distance, and for six months, they did.

But then, Kikyo began to call less, began to become short with Inuyasha during their nightly phone calls. They had begun to fight, something they had never done before.

Inuyasha came to Kagome one night, after a particularly nasty fight, close to tears and tearing himself up with the knowledge that his love no longer loved him back.

Kagome had feared that Kikyo would find another man while she was away; she was a very beautiful, endearing woman, bound to attract a healthy amount of male attention.

But that hadn't happened. Instead, Kikyo became seduced by her books. She believed she no longer had time for a high school romance that, she thought, wasn't going anywhere. She needed to focus on her classes, needed to focus on becoming a doctor.

A very rigorous academic load was what drove Kikyo from her high school sweetheart.

However, Inuyasha never saw it that way. He blamed himself for months after the break up. If he had been a better boyfriend, if he had been smart enough to be in her league, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have lost her. It was in those months of his agony that Kagome had finally had enough. In a fit of frustration, she ended up confessing her feelings for him.

At first, Inuyasha had been shocked, caught unawares. But as time went on and the tension built, he was finally able to admit his own feelings.

But Kagome never truly believed he had stopped blaming himself for his break up with Kikyo and had never truly gotten over her.

Looking in between her friends now, she could feel the tension building in her shoulders, could feel the threatening tears.

"What about Kikyo?" she asked quietly, drawing the two from their intent staring contest. Sango's face softened when she saw the panic on Kagome's face and she turned back to Inuyasha.

"Tell her Inuyasha."

Surging to his feet, Inuyasha snarled at her. "You don't just say shit like that Sango. It's my life, my relationship you're messing with. You can't just fuck with people for your own sick amusement. I won't play this game with you."

He turned on his heel, ready to storm from the house, but Sango's voice stopped him.

"You know the penalty of refusing a dare, Inuyasha. You either tell Kagome about Kikyo or I dare you to stay and watch as _I_ tell her."

"Tell me what?" Kagome asked again, her panic rising. Only silence answered her. Getting to her feet she stepped in front of Inuyasha and tried to get a look at his face. His shoulders were hunched and his face hidden in shadow. His hands clenched at his side and he refused to meet her eyes.

Desperate, she turned to Sango, but only saw steel resolve. Tears gathered at the corners of her lashes, threatened to fall.

"_Tell me what!_" she shouted, her fear making her shake. "Someone tell me what she's talking about!" She turned to her silent boyfriend. "Inuyasha, tell me what she's talking about."

He lifted his head and met her eyes. His eyes were blank, completely cold. It was a look she had hoped to never see on his face. It sent the tears falling from her eyes and caused her to grow slightly dizzy.

"You still love her, don't you?" she whispered, her eyes trained on his emotionless face. "You still love Kikyo."

It was no longer a question.

At the mention of her name, a flash of emotion raced across his face, almost indecipherable before it was gone again. But it was a look Kagome had seen before.

It was shame.

Her legs buckled and she crumbled to her knees.

He watched her and could feel his heart constrict. But he couldn't make his mouth open, couldn't make the words come out. Instead he turned away from the sight of her pain like the coward he was.

"I won't play this game with you, Sango," he murmured to the silent room. No one moved, no one breathed. "I refuse to." He forced his legs to carry him away from Kagome's pain, from the accusing stares of Sango and Miroku. Away from the warmth of love he could no longer accept.

The door clicked softly behind him and echoed in the stricken room like a gunshot.

Only one thought raced through Kagome's mind. Only one thought broke through her sorrow.

_You broke your promise, Inuyasha. You promised you'd never hurt me._

Tears obscured her vision as she caved in from the pain, from the truth. Distantly she felt arms go around her, heard Sango's comforting voice, but could respond to none of it. Her body had shut down from the shock, from the heart break. And Kagome knew there would be no getting over this break up, there would be no making up and apology. There would be no more Kagome and Inuyasha ever again.

_But you just killed me._

* * *

><p><strong><em>(AN: It's been a little bit of a struggle getting this one out and I still wasn't fully satisfied with the ending. If you think that it ended too soon too, then please tell me. I'll try to make it better. I can't change anything if I don't know what's wrong with it. As always, I'd like to thank the (2) of you that reviewed: <span>tipsu<span> and Mika. You guys rock! Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!)_**

**_Jane_**


	8. Ceasing

**Ceasing**

**(v) to stop; discontinue; to come to an end**

A phone rang shrilly through a hollow apartment. The shadows swayed as the wind picked up and drifted through the open window. Dust stirred into an imitation dust storm before settling among its comrades amongst the floor and furniture.

The phone rang twice more before an abrupt beep interrupted.

"Hey, you've reached Kagome. Leave a message and I'll try my best to get back to you. Thanks!"

Amongst the shadows, a hunched figure didn't even twitch at the disturbance of hearing its own recorded voice. A happy voice; a stupid, naïve voice.

There was a beat of silence before another voice sought to break the stifling silence.

"Kagome, you're beginning to scare me and Miroku," Sango's voice pleaded, sounded distant and pained. "Please, just answer your phone! If you don't answer the next time I call I'm coming over there whether you want me to or not. Inuyasha…he's been staying at my place. He wants…he _needs _to talk to you. Please Kagome. Just…" there was a pause, which filled with soft static. "Just answer your _phone._"

Kagome could tell her friend was close to tears and distantly, she could feel remorse for making her friends worry so much about her, but the majority of her didn't care.

She squeezed her eyes shut against the onslaught of images that wanted to surface in her mind. Happy images of her and Inuyasha. Images of the numerous nights they had spent in each other's arms.

Images of his eyes; his beautiful, treacherous eyes. Looking down on her with laughter, with lust. Looking down at her with tenderness she'd never seen in him.

Looking down at her with shame, with guilt.

Burrowing her head further into her pillows, she fought the threat of tears.

She had cried, had mourned for two days now. She hadn't left her bed much except to eat tasteless food and use the bathroom. Her heart had stopped breaking because there was no more left to break. She was empty; empty and broken.

An image came to her mind and brought a fresh wave of tears.

Her mother stood next to her, her hair fluttering in the wind as she gazed up at the cloudless blue sky. Turning to Kagome, her face lit in a strained, tired but genuine smile. Her eyes were lined with fatigue but they shinned; they shinned for her daughter.

It was the last image Kagome would ever have of her mother again.

_Oh Mama. What would you do when you found out that the love of your life loved another? Would you be ashamed of me?_

Kagome didn't bother suppressing her sobs this time. She let her heart break, her grief pour out of her eyes in salt water rivers.

_Kagome…_

Her breaths came in pants as she fought for control over her emotions. Straining, she could hear it.

Her mother's voice.

_Kagome…Honey. Don't give up on Inuyasha. He's always loved you, since the moment you met. I still remember the day you brought him to me the first time…_

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and could almost smell her mother's cooking. She could almost feel Inuyasha's small hand in hers. She could almost taste Inuyasha's trepidation as he was presented before the kind woman that had raised Kagome.

_He was the sweetest, shyest boy. But he loved you even then. I could see it every time he looked at you._

_But Mama…He loves Kikyo. I could __**see **__it on his face. _

_He thinks he does. He wants to believe he loves the image of what he remembers Kikyo to be. Because he's afraid of what he feels for you. He's afraid to love you so much._

She wanted to believe it. She wanted to believe it so much she could almost feel her heart begin to stitch itself back together.

She wanted to believe it so much…

_Believe it, honey. I know it's scary, putting your heart on the line again so soon after he broke it. But trust me. He'll be worth it._

She groaned and shook her head. No…She couldn't believe that. She wouldn't allow herself to.

_You have to trust me Kagome. Just trust me…_

Giving one last watery hiccup, Kagome sat up from her rumpled safe haven and rubbed her hands down her face. Pulling back, she grimaced from the smell of her clothes.

Regardless if the voice in her mind was right or if she was merely going insane from her grief, she could no longer wallow in her misery.

She owed her mother that much.

_Just trust me, Kagome. He'll be worth it…_

* * *

><p>Inuyasha stared forlornly at the phone in his hand. It had been three days since he'd last seen or heard from Kagome and it was driving him insane. Even when he had been dating Kikyo, they hadn't been apart for more than a day or two.<p>

As a result, as the days went by, he could feel his heart slowly losing hope.

Setting the phone down next to him on the couch, he ran a hand through his hair.

_What do I expect? She thinks I still love Kikyo. After all, I didn't say anything to make her think otherwise. _

Groaning, he held his head in his head. The separation from Kagome was taking its toll on him. His temper was nastier than ever. He hadn't bathed in days and as a result he had acquired a beard. He refused to leave the phone for one second, though. Just in case she called. Just in case he hadn't just ruined his entire life.

_Why am I such a fucking idiot?_

To this day, he didn't know what drove him to walk away from her. To walk away from her obvious pain.

He had panicked with all the questions. To be honest, he hadn't been sure of his feelings regarding Kikyo. She still held a part of his heart; that was undeniable. But as to which part it was or how much of it had still been a mystery.

That is, until today.

It had taken two days without Kagome's presence, her love, her laughter, for Inuyasha to get his shit together and organize his feelings.

And with this in mind, he got to his feet. Next to him, Miroku and Sango looked from their quiet discussion. Ever since he had showed up, desperate and broken, on their doorstep the day after Kagome shut herself off, they had kept a close watch on him.

It had annoyed him at first, that he couldn't even go to the fucking bathroom without one of them thinking he was going to hang himself from the shower rod the second they turned their back. Though, he was dangerously close to a break down, he had been coherent enough to be pissed that they thought him so stupid.

Why the fuck would he kill himself when he still had a chance of getting Kagome back?

Turning to his friends, he came to the realization just how much they cared for him. Since he had met them through Kagome, he had considered them more her friends than his. But since the whole disaster had started, he had realized they cared for both him and Kagome and wanted them together.

Even if it was Sango's big fucking mouth that got him in this mess to begin with.

"I'm going to go get her," he declared to them, already moving to get his jacket and look for his shoes.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other with trepidation.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Inuyasha?" Sango asked, struggling to get to her feet. Sending her husband a pleading look, he gave her a slight boost so she could gain her footing. Since advancing well into her third trimester, she found it difficult to get up from the couch and bed each day, requiring Miroku's help. His constant barbs at her expense, though, didn't help matters any.

Turning to the matter at hand, she watched as Inuyasha shoved his feet into his tennis shoes and walked over to get his wallet and keys from the kitchen.

"I don't have a choice, Sango," he replied from the kitchen. Reappearing, he stopped in front of her. His eyes were blood shot and his face haggard. "I can't live without her. And if that means getting on my knees and begging for her, I'll do it."

Sango sighed and gave him a small smile. "Just be gentle, Inuyasha. She's broken right now. Don't hurt her anymore than you already have."

He scowled half heartedly. He deserved her doubt. "I won't hurt her again if it kills me. I'm going to get her back or die trying."

Turning, he strode from the small apartment and headed into the uncertain future.

* * *

><p>Kagome scowled at her door as she struggled trying to find her keys. In one arm, she juggled three bags of groceries while the other dug in the bottomless pit of her purse for her keys into her apartment.<p>

So far, she was coming up empty.

Cursing, she jiggled a little for a better grip on the brown paper bags. She could feel one of them slipping and tried to tilt her body. Maybe if she leaned with the bag, it wouldn't fall. But as her luck would have it, it slipped from her fumbling fingers and crashed to the floor, scattering her groceries in the hall.

She sighed and placed the other two next to the door to gather her things. "Just what I need today," she muttered as she tried to stuff everything back in. As she bent down, she felt something dig against her hip and pulled it from her front pocket.

It was her keys.

"Seriously?" she asked. She turned to the ceiling, as if speaking to the gods themselves. "Are you really doing this to me now of all times?"

"You always were a fucking klutz," a deep voice said softly from down the hall.

Kagome froze. She knew that voice anywhere. It had haunted her the last few days and it seemed she still couldn't escape from it. Closing her eyes against a wave of pain, she made sure her voice was steady before she spoke.

"What do you want Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha frowned and shifted nervously. He hadn't expected a warm welcome, but he certainly hadn't expected such an indifferent reception.

Studying her body a little closer as she continued to gather her things, he could see the tension in her shoulders, could see her white knuckled grip on her keys as she got to her feet.

It was enough to give him the courage to step closer to her. Close enough to touch.

"Kagome," he breathed and cleared his throat from its huskiness. "Kagome. Please, look at me."

Kagome's eyes shot open. Never in her time knowing Inuyasha, had she heard him plead. Not even when Kikyo had broken up with him.

She turned to look at him and had to contain her gasp at his appearance.

He looked like Hell. His clothes were wrinkled and slept in. His face was lined with fatigue and his eyes blood shot. His jaw was covered in shinning silver stubble that made his face look gaunt and pale. His hair was a knotted mess around his head and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked again. Her voice was weary and her eyes sad.

He racked his brain for what to say, anything. But he came up with nothing. Sighing, he said the first thing that went through his mind.

"Truth or dare?"

Kagome's eyebrows slammed together in confusion, before her face darkened.

"That's not funny, Inuyasha."

He simply shook his head. "Truth or dare, Kagome?"

She eyed him before crossing her arms in front of her. Shifting her weight from one hip to the other, she simply replied. "Dare."

"I dare you to stay here and let me explain."

Her face darkened in anger and she turned away from him.

"I gave you an opportunity to explain, Inuyasha. And if I recall correctly, you didn't take it."

He stepped closer and grabbed her shoulder. "Please, Kagome. I…I _need_ to explain to you."

His hand sent heat straight through her shoulder to tingle at her finger tips. She fought a wave of helplessness and laid her forehead against the cool wood of her door. She fought tears. Even now. Even now he still affected every part of her.

Silently, she nodded her head, not bothering to lift her head from its resting place.

He breathed a silent breath of relief.

"You know I'm no good with words, Kagome. I never have been. But that is no excuse for what I did the other night. I was a straight asshole for leaving you like that. I was a coward. I didn't want to face the truth. The truth about us, about me and Kikyo. The truth that I was forced to face as soon as I lost you." He took a deep breath. Kagome struggled to breathe as his thump absently rubbed soothing circles along the side of her neck. Against her will, her shoulders began to relax. "I was afraid that if I thought about my feelings for Kikyo, I would end up hurting you." He gave a humorless laugh. "Which I ended up doing anyway…Look, Kagome. Kikyo was the first girl I loved. I can't change that. I wouldn't want to change that. "

Kagome didn't bother to fight the tears that trailed silently down her face at his words. Her chest twisted painfully.

"But my feelings for Kikyo have _nothing_ to do with how I feel about you. What I felt for Kikyo was young. What I felt for her was new, it was exciting. But what I feel for you…It's all consuming. I can't imagine waking up and not having you on my mind, you're voice playing in my dreams. I don't _want_ to imagine a world without you Kagome. And these last few days have given me a taste of what it would be like. Let me tell you, Kagome. I'm _nothing_ without you. Absolutely nothing."

She fought the pain, fought the relief.

"Are…" she cleared her throat of tears. "Are you sure you don't love Kikyo? I can't handle it if this happens again, Inuyasha. _I'll die._"

He felt a suspicious burning in his eyes but ignored it. He pulled her against him finally. Feeling her chest heave against his in her silent sobs made him clutch her against him tighter.

"I will _never_ hurt you like this again, Kagome. I will never make you doubt how I feel about you. You are everything to me. I love you more than anything in the world. Please, don't leave me."

She brought her arms up to wrap around his waist as her knees went weak with relief. Her tears changed to ones of relief, ones of happiness.

In between sobs, she managed to get out, "Don't you _ever_ do this to me again, Inuyasha. Please don't ever do this to me again."

The ragged sound of her voice rocked Inuyasha to the core. He had seen Kagome cry countless times. He had seen her cry tears of all kinds, sadness, happiness, grief. But never in knowing her, had he seen her so raw, so broken.

His arms wrapped around her a little tighter as he made a swear to her silently.

_I swear on my soul, Kagome. I'll never hurt you like this as long as I'm alive. _

But instead of voicing his thoughts, he simply buried his face in the side of her neck and whispered. "I love you more than anything, Kagome. I'll make you happy. I swear it."

* * *

><p><em>(AN: So i decided that I thought a sequel would help finish this part off and it fit rather nicely into my plans if I do saw so myself. I know it might be a bit too rushed, but it just kind of ran away from me. I hope I met all the expectations of those that demanded another installment. I would, as usual, like to thank those of you that reviewed: <strong>tipsu, livelovelaugh, Inukag, xxMonkeey27xx<strong>, and last but certainly not least **Say0mi Saki**. You guys seriously are awesome. I don't know what I would do without you guys to help encourage me and help improve me. I'm selfish enough that I want praise for my hard work for me to be inspired to write more. So thank you again! Your words never fail to bring a smile on my face. I hope you enjoyed this installment! Thanks for reading)_

_Jane_


	9. Zero

**Zero**

**(n) the lowest point or degree**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co.**

Kagome huffed as she adjusted the strap to her bag on her shoulder. Her heels made a loud, distinct sound against the concrete as she made her way down the side walk. The street was virtually deserted and she could feel her nerves begin to stir.

Shifting her eyes to glare at suspicious shadows, she sought to keep her mind from her less than ideal surroundings. After all, being alone, well after dark on a city street was never ideal. Especially for women.

_Don't focus on the creepy feeling crawling up your back, Kagome. Just focus on that asshole you now live with. _

Successfully distracted, her ire only increased and pushed away her trepidation. She had recently moved in with a boy she'd met through Sango due to lack of funds or better options. She had hoped that they would be civil towards each other at worst and at best a type of friends.

But that idea had disappeared as soon as he'd opened his mouth.

_How dare he order me around like he owns the fucking place?_ She seethed, his arrogant words still echoing in her mind. Her anger was so great, as were her thoughts, she failed to notice one particular shadow that began to fall in step behind her.

_He may have his name on the lease, but I pay just as much as he does! I own just as much of that apartment as he does!_

She had told herself that despite his rude and tactless manners toward her that she wouldn't let it get to her. She had to live with him, so harboring anger toward him would only succeed in tiring her out and making him all the more insufferable. She had told herself to just ignore him, but that idea had also failed to come to fruition that morning.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey, woman," Inuyasha called as he trailed from his bedroom. His shirt was slung across his broad shoulders and his jeans hung low on his hips. Things that Kagome refused to admit she noticed and admired. <em>

_She sighed and turned back to the dishes she was washing from her dinner the night before. "You know my name, Inuyasha. So why don't you use it?"_

_He snorted but otherwise made no acknowledgment of her demand. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you to leave your bitch products out of my sight?"_

_Kagome scowled and turned to him, trying to taper down her irritation. "What 'bitch products', Inuyasha?" she asked as if she were speaking to a particularly slow child. _

"_The box of twat plugs I saw in the cabinet."_

_She told herself to calm down, tried to breathe evenly to keep her temper in check. "Where else would I put them, Inuyasha? They belong in the bathroom and it's out of your sight like you told me to."_

"_Well, I found them, so get rid of them."_

_Her temper snapped. "You asshole! Half of that fucking bathroom is mine! I pay half the water bill just like you do, but do you see me complaining about the insane amount of condoms you keep in the cabinet; even though I think it's just wishful thinking on your part, I don't say anything, because you have your right to half the cabinet. So until you kick my ass out, you'll just have to deal with my twat plugs. Got it?"_

_Inuyasha eyed her as if he were afraid her head would spin and she would begin levitating. Grunting, he turned and headed to the bathroom without another word. But despite the fact that she had for all intents and purposes won that argument, Kagome was still spitting mad. And she remained that way for the rest of the day._

* * *

><p>"Seriously, what the fuck, Inuyasha?" she muttered as she once against adjusted the painful pinch of her bag on her shoulder. As she turned a corner a block from her apartment complex, she finally caught sight of a shadow disappear down an alley as she passed it. Fighting down a shiver of apprehension, she shifted her eyes all around her, but saw no one. Not even a car drove by.<p>

Biting her lip, she picked up her pace and kept her eyes glued ahead.

_Calm down, Kagome. Just get inside and you'll be fine. Just one more block._

Nodding her head, she couldn't fight down a small shriek when she heard something rattle behind her. Whirling around, she clutched her bag to her chest and looked to the shadows for a figure, but saw none.

Shaking her head but unable to deny her fear, she picked up her pace once again to an almost trot. Steps began to echo behind her but Kagome didn't bother to look this time. Instead she broke into light jog as her apartment complex came into view.

She knew it wasn't her imagination that the steps behind her picked up with her. On the back of her neck, she could swear she could feel hot breath and her heart jumped into her throat, causing her to choke on her fear.

Her breaths came in pants as she came within a hundred yards of her building and picked up her pace to a sprint. However, her progress was halted by a body slamming into her back and sending her careening into the brick wall of the building next to her.

She gave a short scream of surprise as her head bounced painfully against the brick and her hands were trapped between her and the building.

Against her back, a body pressed her painfully against the brick and she could feel hot, rancid breath fanning against the back of her neck and fought a shiver of terror.

Her eyes squeezed shut as a large hand traveled its way down her sides to cup her hip.

"Can't escape me that easily, pretty lady," a deep voice said against her neck and Kagome fought tears.

"Please," she whimpered, her voice rough with fear. "Please, what do you want?"

She froze when she felt dry, cracked lips graze their way along her throat to behind her ear as the voice whispered, "I want _you_."

Kagome felt tears gather in her eyes as she focused on the image of her apartment complex. She was so close…

She opened her mouth to scream as the weight against her back shifted before she heard a sharp crack and a flash of blinding pain. Then she knew nothing but silent, cold darkness.

* * *

><p>When Kagome came to, she became aware of two things. One, that she was no longer outside, since the cold wind was no longer blowing past and she could feel softness under her that hadn't been there before. Another thing was that she wasn't alone.<p>

"What the fuck do you mean, you couldn't find them?" a rough voice said next to her. Kagome stayed silent and still, hoping to gather more information about her surroundings before alerting her audience that she was awake.

She heard the nervous shuffle of feet and clothing a second before a timid voice answered the gruff demand.

"W-well, sir. They were long gone by the time we got there. Since the victim was unconscious we couldn't question her, so we have no leads to follow up on."

_Victim…Is he talking about…me?_

There was a disgusted snort and Kagome felt the bed beneath her shift slightly. "Just do your fucking jobs and catch those fuckers…before _I_ do."

Kagome held her breath for a moment as recognition flared. She knew that voice.

_Inuyasha…_

She groaned as a wave of nausea hit her and she struggled to open her eyes. At her movements, the voices grew silent and she felt the bed dip by her hip. Her eyes blinked open and she winced at the light that burned her eyes.

Blurrily, she was able to make out the general outline of Inuyasha, with his short mussed silver hair and distinct golden irises. She reached up and rubbed the last bit of fuzziness away from her eyes and his face came into focus.

His brows were drawn together in a fierce scowl and his eyes were dark with emotion. Kagome licked her lips and glanced nervously around the room. To her right, she saw a young man in a police uniform and assumed he was the other voice she'd heard. His face was contorted in anxiety and in his hands, he clutched a rumpled and used Memo Pad, a pencil sticking out of the metal bindings on the top. His dull brown eyes glanced between her and Inuyasha nervously and she could make out a faint sheen of sweat along his forehead as he shifted from one foot to the other.

Turning back to Inuyasha, Kagome couldn't contain the wave of panic that seized her.

"What happened?" she whispered, watching Inuyasha's face for any sign of emotion.

His eyes flashed with anger and she felt the hands on either side of her face bunch the sheets in his fists. Closing his eyes briefly, he visibly fought his anger before answering her.

"You…don't remember?" he asked carefully.

He watched as her face paled and her lips began to tremble. Her eyes stared unflinchingly into his and from his vantage point above her, he could see the tears gather at the corners of her eyes. She closed her eyes and turned her face away, her white teeth biting into her bottom lip.

Inuyasha felt a wave of rage so hot, it was all he could do to tear into the innocent detective next to him for not doing his job. But that wouldn't be fair. After all, no one knew that tonight of all nights a would-be rapist would attack his roommate.

Kagome tried to keep the memories away, tried to stop the shudder of fear that racked her body, but she was helpless against it, just as helpless as she'd been that night.

* * *

><p><em>Kagome blinked open her eyes and tried to shift, but stopped because of the wave of pain that threatened to split her head open. Squeezing her eyes against the pain, she didn't try to stifle the moan of pain that escaped her tight lips. <em>

_At her movements, the rustle of clothing sounded somewhere behind her head where she lay against the cold, hard ground. _

**Where am i?**_ Kagome thought distantly, trying to push the pain aside to register her surroundings, but could do nothing but suppress her tears of pain. _

_She stiffened when she heard a dark chuckle behind her. Her eyes shot open and she could feel her blood run cold. _

_That laugh…_

_She _**knew** _that laugh._

_Her hands scrambled for a weapon, anything to fend off the man she knew had captured her just outside her apartment. Her eyes shifted around her surrounding, but she could see little in the oppressive darkness. She did know that she was sprawled against the cement of the streets, but knew she was nowhere near a rode of any kind. She could distantly make out the bricks of two building flanking what she assumed was an alleyway. _

_Her eyes snapped forward she registered movement in front of her sprawled feet. Against her will, a small whimper escaped her lips as she struggled to sit up. The flash of pain at her movements only delayed her a moment before she had managed to scoot her back against one of the brick buildings. _

"_Wh-Where am I? What do you want with me?"she whispered, her hands still groping in the darkness for a weapon, but her eyes still trained on the dark outline of a man. _

_A sinister chuckle answered her. The man took a small step toward her and Kagome pressed herself as close to the building as she could, her heart racing in her ears so loudly she almost missed his satisfied words._

"_Oh, you know what I want from you…" _

_There was movement to her left and Kagome snapped her head in time to see yet another figure of a man step from the thick darkness. IN his hands, he held a length of rope and she could see the whites of his eyes in the darkness. _

_She couldn't stop the tears from falling down her stiff and frozen cheeks. Her eyes looked along the darkness, looking for an escape, looking for a weapon. Anything to help her. But she saw nothing. _

"_You know what I want from you," the man to her right said darkly, causing her attention to shift to him. "And I'm going to get it." He took another menacing step towards her. With a gesture of his large hand, the man to her left stepped close to her and she see him caressing the rope in his hands like a lover. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you enjoy yourself…"_

_Kagome sucked in a breath to scream, but quicker than she could see, the man with the rope clapped a hand across her mouth harshly, making her cry in pain. In one swift movement, he pulled her towards him and had the rope around her throat before she could draw another breath. As she struggled against the man's iron grip, all she could hear was the menacing chuckle to her right and feel the excited, rancid breath of her attacker, harsh and hot against her face._

* * *

><p>In a wave of panic, Kagome tried to surge from the bed, but Inuyasha's large body blocked her. She knew that she was safe, knew she wasn't in that alley, but at the feel of his body, her brain went dark with fear so real, she could taste it.<p>

Screaming, she thrashed against him, her fists hitting his chest weakly, as her eyes squeezed shut.

"Get off me!" she screamed, bucking her hips in an attempt to dislodge him. Inuyasha stared down at her in shock, but kept himself firmly against her in the fear she might hurt herself. "Get off me! Let me go! Please, _let me go!_"

Inuyasha cursed and wrapped one hand around her wrists to keep her from hitting him as he hauled her against his chest with his other arm, sitting up with her in his lap. She continued to struggle against him, her screams echoing shrilly in his ears.

"You're safe, Kagome. Stop it!" But she could no longer hear him. Her eyes were wide with panic and she could see nothing but the shadowing figure of the man, could see nothing but the whites of his eyes and his sneering face.

Inuyasha shook her a little roughly and pulled her back so she could look at him. "_Kagome. _You're safe. It's _me. _It's Inuyasha_."_

She blinked at him, her eyes clearing a second before they were consumed with tears. She struggled a little more before collapsing against his chest, her sobs echoing loudly in the quiet room.

Over her head, Inuyasha's eyes connected with the shocked and horrified eyes of the young detective. Rubbing a hand along her back, Inuyasha dismissed him in his mind and focused on the broken, scarred woman in his lap.

_What happened to you, Kagome? And why does seeing you this way tear me up inside?_

* * *

><p><em>(AN: Okay, before you kill me, I decided to split this one up in two pieces because I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to tie it up, I'm still a little conflicted about it. But because I didn't want to delay posting it, with the fear that I might not post it at all, I wanted to get the first part out to see the response I got. I'm not really sure how well I portrayed her fear, her panic, so if you have any ideas on how I could improve this, I would LOVE to hear it. You're suggestions really help get me going. <em>

_As usual, I would like to thank those of you that reviewed and actually reply to your reviews, as I have not done thus far. _

_**Ligercat8**- Thanks! I love writing these short stories and I'm glad you liked them! _

_**Tipsu**- Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!_

_**Say0mi Saki**- Thanks! I've actually been meaning to reply to your reviews, but never had the time. I really appreciate your input on each installment and it has helped me leaps and bounds, so thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!_

_**Rose-Aki** - Thanks! I have to say, that part was the hardest. Those types of scenes with Inuyasha always give me trouble because I want to keep him in character and not turn him into a sudden-Romeo, but I still want to be able to portray his emotion properly. So thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed it!_

_**Ice-Kitsune-317** - Thanks! I was hoping that the emotion would be portrayed the way I wanted. I'm glad you liked it!_

_Thanks to every one that read and I hope you enjoyed my latest installment! Until next time...)_

_Jane_


	10. Buffer

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha and Co.**

**Warning! This does contain adult themes and language. **

* * *

><p><strong>Buffer<strong>

_(n) a person or thing that shields and protects against annoyance, harm, or hostile forces._

"Okay, Ms. Higurashi. Do you think you could tell me what happened from the start?"

Kagome didn't bother looking up from her white knuckled grip on the blanket around her shoulders. She couldn't recall who had put it around her, or how many officers had come and gone through her and Inuyasha's apartment. To be honest, she couldn't really say she cared, about much of anything.

Except the keep the memories away.

After her panic attack against Inuyasha, she had passed out from sheer exhaustion. When she had woken, Inuyasha was still glued to her side, but the young officer had been replaced by a kind, middle aged detective who was now leading her case.

_Her case…_

She had become a victim.

Never in her life, had Kagome had ever dreamed she would be one of the women that was featured on the news. One of the women that she herself had winced over and shaken her head sadly over. She had never thought it would be her picture they would show next to the words: _Attempted rape victim._

Tears burned a track down her cold cheeks.

Would she ever go back to just being Kagome Higurashi? Probably not.

When she felt a nudge against her shoulder, she looked up blankly. Inuyasha stared intently down at her from next to her. Ever since she had woken up, he hadn't left her for anything. She didn't know whether to be grateful or suspicious of his behavior.

But at the moment she didn't care.

He offered a comfort to her she hadn't felt since the beginning of that night.

"Ms. Higurashi?" the detective tried again.

Turning to him, she offered him a hollow smile.

"I'm sorry. What was your question?"

"Can you tell me what happened from the beginning?"

Biting her lip, she steeled her nerve. This would undoubtedly be one of the many times she would be relaying her story. Taking a deep breath, she tried to detach herself from the memories.

"I was…walking home from work…"

When she paused, the detective hedged in gently. "At what time did you get off work?"

She swallowed around the sudden lump in the throat. "Around nine. I work at the local grocery store. I'm one of the managers. I never thought about taking a cab. I only lived four blocks away anyway. I never…I never thought this would happen to…_me._"

Inuyasha reached over and tentatively placed his hand over her death grip. Looking up, she saw his steely gaze was not on her, but on the patient detective. Leaning into the warmth he offered, she tried again.

"I got off around nine and instead of taking a cab, I decided to walk home on my own. I think I was around a block from the grocery store that I heard footsteps following me. I thought at first that I was going crazy…but then when I increased my pace, so did the other footsteps. I knew I was being followed and I…I panicked. I started to run home, but something…_someone_ hit me from behind and…and pinned me against the w-wall."

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the memory of his voice, of the feel of his body pinning hers against the brick wall.

"_I want __**you.**__"_

She shuddered but continued. "I asked him what he w-wanted with me and…he said," her breath hitched. "He said 'I want _you'._ And then he hit me in the back of the head and I…I blacked out."

When she paused, the detective nodded and asked quietly, "If you heard his voice again, would you be able to identify it?"

She looked up at him and even though he had seen several rape victims over his years on the police force, he couldn't recall ever meeting a gaze so thoroughly haunted as hers.

"I'll never forget it," she whispered.

"What happened after that, Ms. Higurashi?"

"When I woke up, I was in a dark alley. At first I didn't know where I was and it was so _dark_ that I couldn't see anything. When I tried to get up, I heard him. He was _laughing_ at me. At how scared I was." Her lips tightened and a sense of raw fury settled over her heart. "He thought it was funny that I was scared. There were two of them. I didn't see one of them…he stayed back and watched. The other man had a rope and when I tried to scream, he-he wrapped it around my neck. I tried to struggle, but every time I did, he wrapped it tighter around my neck until I almost couldn't breathe…"

* * *

><p>"<em>Struggling will only get you killed, little lady," a patronizing voice rang out over the sounds of Kagome's muffled screams of panic and struggles. She stopped and sat there, panting with a combination of searing pain in her head and fear. <em>

_Her tearful gaze danced from one man to the other. The one holding her captive was breathing heavily from excitement and his dull brown eyes were glazed with a sick enjoyment and lust._

_Whimpering, she turned to look at the shadowy figure to her right. _

_He met her gaze and she saw his smile widen. His hand came out from the light and she noticed a thin, long scar from the back of his hand to his elbow to disappear into the shadows. He skimmed a hand down her cheek, tracing the path her tears took and his grin only widened at her fearful wince. _

"_So beautiful…I'm going to have fun breaking you…"_

_With that his hand pulled back into the shadows and she saw movement to her left. Screaming behind the meaty hand over her mouth, she was pinned onto her back with a big, hard body pressing against her front. Struggling and trying to buck off her attacker, she thrashed and scrambled desperately for something…anything to save her from her looming fate. _

_The man above her grunted in excitement at her struggles and lifted a hand from the rope around her neck to reach down and grasp the hem of her skirt roughly. Attempting to yank it up between their bodies and keep her pinned in the process, he gave a grunt of frustration right before Kagome heard the horrible rip of cloth. _

_Sobbing, Kagome's hand groped for a weapon. When her hands skimming over something, her heart gave a lurch. Her fingertips sought after the object and she identified it at something made of glass. She managed to wrap her fingers around the small shaft of what she identified as a beer bottle. _

_It was small, so she would only have one shot at getting her attacker off of her. _

_When she felt rough cold fingers grip her thighs and attempt to pry them apart, she knew she was out of time. Screaming at the top of her lung around the hand on her mouth, she whipped her arm forward and brought the base of the beer bottle crashing against the face above hers. _

_The man gave a short cry of surprise before slumped dazedly against her. With strength born from adrenaline, she bucked her hips and threw most of his weight off of her. Scrambling from under his unconscious weight, her fingers still gripping the shattered remains of the neck of the bottle, she turned to face the other man._

_His face twisted with rage and lunged toward her. In his hand, she saw the wicked gleam of metal and knew she couldn't hesitate. When he was within reach, she squeezed her eyes shut and thrust the jagged glass towards her attacker._

_With bated breath, she waited for the agonizing pain, but felt nothing. Opening her eyes she saw the man's surprised face. In her panic she had thrust the bottle into the other man's diaphragm and his rattled breathing was the only sound in the alley. As he began to slump forward, Kagome darted around his form and out into the street. _

_Looking around frantically, she saw her building still within sight. Sobbing with joy, she sprinted in that direction. However, she only made it to the main door when her knees gave out from under her and her stomach lurched. She turned her head and emptied the sparse contents of her stomach into the bushes lining the walkway. Dizziness gripped her and she slumped to the side, her vision drifted to blessed black numbness._

* * *

><p>Silence filled the room and Kagome didn't bother to lift her gaze from the floor to see the reactions in the room. The stiffness in Inuyasha's body said it all.<p>

Suddenly an angry male voice rose from the living room and drifted to the silent room. Kagome's head shot up as she identified to voice.

Fresh tears flooded her eyes and she attempted to stand on her shaky legs. Inuyasha shot to his feet and wrapped a hand around her arm to keep her steadied. But her eyes never left the hallway as she sounds of the familiar male voice came closer. Soon, the words became identifiable.

"I don't give a shit what your protocol says! That's my fucking girl friend in there! Either arrest me now or step aside!"

There was a beat of silence before the sound of running feet could be heard heading toward them. Inuyasha watched Kagome's face crumble with relief as the sight of her boyfriend finally came to the doorway.

Stepping from Inuyasha's warm grip, Kagome didn't bother to hide her tears.

"Kouga," she sobbed and only managed one step toward him before she was swept up into the only set of arms she felt safe in.

Sobbing openly, she wrapped her arms around his neck with all the strength she had left and buried her face in his shoulder. He gave a shudder and buried his face in her hair. His voice was ragged with emotion when he began to talk.

"God, Kagome. Are you okay? I got here as soon as I could."

When he tried to pull back to look at her, she shook her head and clutched him tighter.

"I'm so glad you're here, Kouga," she whispered. "I love you."

He closed his eyes on a wave of emotion. "I love you too, Kagome. God, I love you so much. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I should have been there!"

Pulling back on her own, Kagome met his agonized blue eyes with her own. She reached up and placed her palm on his tanned cheek. "You're here now. That's all that counts." She paused. "How did you know what happened?"

Kouga broke her gaze to look over her shoulder at the stiff and silent Inuyasha. His gaze was trained pointedly away from the tender couple but his golden eyes met Kouga's blue ones and they shared a moment of understanding.

Turning back to Kagome, he gave a soft smile. His hand covered her and he laid his forehead against hers. "A good friend told me I was needed."

Kouga turned to the detective patiently standing where he had gotten to his feet at Kouga's entrance. "Is there anything else you needed? I want to get her out of here."

The detective smiled and shook his head silently.

Just as Kouga was about to lead Kagome out of the room, she pulled back and turned to Inuyasha. Without thinking, she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stood stiffly in her embrace before he relaxed enough to place one hand on the small of her back. She sniffled and gave him a genuine smile.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. You'll never know how much this meant to me," she whispered and placed a chaste kiss against his cheek.

As she left with Kouga and the detective followed them out of the room, Inuyasha was left by himself, his heart beating too fast for his comfort and his cheek still burning from the feel of her lips.

Sighing, his hand fell back to his side and he closed his eyes on a wave of fatigue.

_I'm such a fucking idiot._

* * *

><p><em>(AN: Wow, this update has been a long time coming. I know this wasn't really the ending everyone was expecting. I'm thinking about coming out with an alternate ending soon. Do you guys think I should come up with a more InuKag oriented ending? I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm sorry it took so long to get this out. Lacrosse season just started so I have little to no time for anything but practice, homework and sleep. Sometimes, no even all three. Well, I hope this was worth the wait. As always, thank you to those that reviewed! Your words keep me inspired.)_

**cupcakes- **Thank you! I enjoy sharing them.

__**Rose-Aki-** Thank you! Your feedback is what gave me the inspiration to get this update out.

**tipsu-** Thanks! I hope you enjoyed it.


	11. Buffer Alt Ending

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha and Co.**_

_**(AN: All right guys, here's that alternate ending that I promised. I noticed that my other ending wasn't nearly as popular as I thought it would be, so I made sure this was full of Inu/Kag fluff. I hope you guys like it.)**_

_**Jane**_

* * *

><p>Silence filled the room and Kagome didn't bother to lift her gaze from the floor to see the reactions in the room. The stiffness in Inuyasha's body said it all.<p>

Suddenly an angry male voice rose from the living room and drifted to the silent room. Kagome's head shot up as she identified to voice.

Fresh tears flooded her eyes and she attempted to stand on her shaky legs. Inuyasha shot to his feet and wrapped a hand around her arm to keep her steadied. But her eyes never left the hallway as she sounds of the familiar male voice came closer. Soon, the words became identifiable.

"I don't give a shit what your protocol says! That's my fucking sister in there! Either arrest me now or step aside!"

There was a beat of silence before the sound of running feet could be heard heading toward them. Inuyasha watched Kagome's face crumble with relief as the sight of a tall man finally appeared in the doorway.

Stepping from Inuyasha's warm grip, Kagome didn't bother to hide her tears.

"Souta," she sobbed and only managed one step toward him before she was swept up into the only set of arms she felt safe in.

Sobbing openly, she wrapped her arms around his neck with all the strength she had left and buried her face in his shoulder. He gave a shudder and buried his face in her hair. His voice was ragged with emotion when he began to talk.

"God, Kagome. Are you okay? I got here as soon as I could."

When he tried to pull back to look at her, she shook her head and clutched him tighter.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she whispered, but her shoulders continued to tremble with her silent sobs.

He closed his eyes on a wave of emotion. "I'm so sorry, Kagome. I should have been there!"

She shook her head and pulled back enough to look at him with a brave smile. "How could you have known something like this would happen? I'm just…" she paused and took a deep breath. "I'm just glad you're here now. How did you know to come here?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

Souta looked up and met the hard golden gaze of his sister's roommate and would-be savior. They shared a moment of understanding and Inuyasha gave a curt nod. Looking back down at his sister's tear stained and haggard face, he only smiled. "A good friend told me I was needed."

Souta wrapped an arm around her shoulders and look up at the silent detective that had gained his feet at Souta's entrance. "Is there anything else, or can I take her home?"

The detective shook his head. "I'll be in touch if I need anything else."

Nodding, Souta rubbed a hand down his sister's arm and started to turn her towards the entrance.

Kagome stopped, "Hold on," and turned back to the still silent Inuyasha.

Without thinking, she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stood stiffly in her embrace before he relaxed enough to place one hand on the small of her back. She sniffled and gave him a genuine smile.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. I'm…I'm glad you were there," she whispered and placed a chaste kiss against his cheek.

Souta watched with a small smile as Inuyasha's face colored slightly along his cheeks and a small spark came to life in his golden depths.

Knowing his sister, this wouldn't be the last he would see of Inuyasha. And, considering the look they shared as she pulled back, Inuyasha would most likely become a willing fixture in his sister's disheveled life.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's serious eyes and gave him a small, but genuine smile. Laying a hand against his tanned cheek, she watched as his eyelids shielded his eyes from her view and he leaned into her touch the slightest bit.

"I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Reaching up he placed his hand over hers. "I'll be here." He paused. _Oh, what the hell?_ Leaning down, he pressed his lips against her forehead. "Always."

Kagome blushed and nodded, a bright smile breaking out and turned from him, her hand lingering before she returned to her smirking brother.

"Come on, Kagome. Mom is pacing a hold through the floor waiting for us, I'm sure."

Nodding, Kagome chanced one last look back at Inuyasha before she was gone, the detective not far behind.

Alone once more in the room, Inuyasha sank down to the bed and braced his elbows against his knees. Resting his head in his hands, he gave a soulful sigh.

_I'm such a fucking idiot. _

But as the look Kagome had given him as she left ran through his mind once more, a small smile found its way across his lips.

_But I don't care. _


	12. Purge

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha and Co.**

**Purge**

_(v) to become cleansed or purified; to clear of imputed guilt or ritual uncleanliness_

"Inuyasha?" Kagome paused and waited for her hanyou friend to acknowledge her anxiously. She gripped her fingers together and shifted nervously.

When he finally did turn his head and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she looked down at her feet and shifted a little bit. Suspicious, Inuyasha turned his full attention on her and waited. She had been acting strangely for several days now. Ever since he'd last gone to see Kikyo in fact.

At the thought of that, he felt his own shoulders tense and tried to shake off his guilt. It wasn't like he'd done anything wrong. He had gone to see Kikyo when she'd summoned him by way of her soul collectors like he always did. Only this time, instead of keeping it from the group and sneaking off like a thief, he hadn't tried to hide it.

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><p><em>Dropping down next to the suddenly subdued Kagome, Inuyasha waited patiently for her to look up at him. When she did, he crouched down next to her. Around the fire, all his companions held their breath, waiting for the scene that was about to play out. They figured either Kagome would get sad, and Inuyasha defensive. Or they figured Inuyasha would be guilty and Kagome angry. Either scenario was liable to happen.<em>

_But what none of them expected, was for him to place a tender hand along her cheek. Lately, Inuyasha and Kagome had been showing more physical signs of affection for all to see. When Sango had asked Kagome about it during a bath one night, all Kagome had said with a small smile was, "We've come to an understanding. We know we love each other, even if we don't say it. We're just not afraid to show it anymore."_

_Miroku suspected that Inuyasha had finally gotten a pair and made a move on Kagome and she had accepted. Sango thought that they had finally made their feelings known to each other and were exploring their relationship. Shippo…well, Shippo thought that Kagome was too nice for Inuyasha, but didn't bother to voice it. He __**really**__ didn't want another bump on his head. _

_Staring into Kagome's sad eyes, Inuyasha didn't bother to hide his feelings and let them show through his eyes. _

_He spoke too softly for those around to hear him. "I've chosen __**you,**__Kagome. Not her. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop talking to her. There's usually a reason she seeks me out, and I want to find that out."_

_Kagome bit her lip and tried to keep her fear from showing. She failed miserably. _

_Sighing with a small smile, Inuyasha pulled her close and clutched her against his chest. Taking a deep breath of his scent, Kagome clutched him against her._

"_I'm just…I'm afraid you'll change your mind and leave me," she whispered finally. Shaking his head, he pulled back enough to look her in the eyes. _

"_I don't know how many times I'm going to have to say this, but I will until you believe me. I. Want. __**You.**__ Not her." _

_To the shock of everyone present, Kagome included, Inuyasha tugged her close and pressed a soft kiss against her trembling lips. Pulling back, he braced his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes on a wave of almost crippling love. _

"_I'll be back," he whispered, his hot breath fluttering across her parted lips. She nodded wordlessly. _

"_I'll be waiting," she murmured as he got to his feet. Giving her one last, lingering look, he turned and disappeared into the darkness, the snake-like bodies of the soul collectors circling him silently._

* * *

><p>Kikyo had, in fact summoned him for a reason. But not for the reason he'd thought. It had nothing to do with Naraku or any shards.<p>

She had come to claim her promise.

At first, Inuyasha had been shocked and guilty as he refused her, but as she continued to insist, he'd begun to get angry. At the sight of his anger, Kikyo had paused and looked at him appraisingly.

"_Is it because of my reincarnation that you hesitate to let me lay claim on your life?" _At his silence, her eyes had flashed briefly with anger. _"Fine. I will remedy that."_

With those cryptic words, the soul collectors had gathered her and floated off, despite Inuyasha's calls. Confused and anxious, he had booked it back to camp to see Kagome, waiting for him as she'd promised, unharmed and safe.

Since then, after he'd told the group of Kikyo worrying words, Kagome had been on edge and not even Inuyasha's reassurances could console her.

Kagome knew what Kikyo's words meant and it sent fear through her heart.

Kikyo meant to claim the rest of her soul.

While Kikyo had tried to do such when she'd been resurrected and had ultimately failed, Kikyo had grown stronger, not weaker with the souls of unhappy women. And Kagome knew, if it came down to a battle of wills, while Kagome would put up one Hell of a fight, there was no guarantee that her soul wouldn't be torn from her body.

And if there one thing that she feared, it was the sensation of her soul being torn from her body. Twice since she'd fallen down the well, she'd felt it and it hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced. Not even Tsubaki's curse had hurt as bad. And the idea of going through that agony and the idea that Kikyo might take Inuyasha from her sent the freezing fingers of anxiety gripping her throat.

Inuyasha cleared his throat when she didn't say anything more.

"Kagome? Kagome, you okay?" Sango asked from next to her. Kagome started slightly from her thoughts and nodded quickly, flashing a small smile at her concern.

"I'm fine." She turned back to Inuyasha. "I was hoping…I could go home for a few days?"

She didn't know why she was so timid with her request. Since she and Inuyasha had taken their relationship to a more comfortable level, he had been less demanding of her staying in the Feudal Era. He still didn't like it and objected, but not as heatedly as before. A part of it was probably due to the fact that he went with her almost every time since then and only let her out of his sight when she went to school.

Probably, she suspected, not even then.

He narrowed his eyes at her fidgeting, but didn't object right away.

"Why?"

"Because, we're close to the village, and we haven't heard any rumors lately…"

When she offered nothing else, he crossed his arms across his chest and his eyes narrowed further. "And?"

She looked up at him in surprise and saw the calculation there. She could tell he knew something was bothering her and was just waiting for her to come clean.

_Damn, he knows me too well,_ she thought and sighed.

"And all this waiting for Kikyo to attack is driving me crazy! So I thought if I went home I'd be safe for a little bit and be able to relax for once."

"I knew it!" he exploded, irritated. "I told you, wench, that I would protect you from her. I don't care if I promised to avenge her; I'm not going to let her hurt you!"

Surprised, Kagome took a small step toward him when she saw a small flash of hurt behind his bluster. "I know that-"

He cut her off angrily. "Do you not think I will? Do you really think that I would let her hurt you?"

She shook her head and opened her mouth to object, but her cut her off again. "Because let me tell you something," he said lowly, taking a step toward her until only a few inches separated their bodies. "When I said I chose you, I meant it. I meant I chose you over everyone. No one comes before you to me. What do I have to fucking do for you to believe me?"

Tears started to gather in the corners of her eyes at the hurt she could feel radiating from him. Inuyasha could take almost any insult thrown towards him, but if his honor was questioned, it never went over well. And the fact that he thought _she_ was questioning his loyalty, it cut deeper than he was willing to admit.

"Inuyasha, please," she whispered and stepped forward to cradle his face in her hands. The wind was taken from his sails at the sight of her tears. "I don't doubt you. I just…" she thought of how to phrase it carefully. "She wants to take my soul, something you can't protect me from, short of killing her." When he opened his mouth, she placed the tips of her fingers across his lips to stop him. "And I would _never_ ask you to do that. So if I go home, I could be safe from her and you wouldn't be forced to do anything you would later regret."

"Oh how touching of you, Kagome," A frigid voice interjected. Inuyasha whipped his head up at the sound of the familiar voice and looked up to see Kikyo waiting patiently at the fringes of their group. Cursing, he took a defensive stance in front of Kagome and placed his hand against the hilt of the sword at his hip. Simultaneously, Miroku and Sango took up flanking positions next to Inuyasha.

At the sight of the instinctive movements of the whole group to protect Kagome, Kikyo's lips twisted wryly.

"You perceive me as a threat, do you?" she asked mockingly.

There was a moment of tense silence. "What do you want, Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked, his stance still tense. Kikyo's dark eyes lighted on him and darkened with bitterness.

"And you, Inuyasha, also seek to protect that girl from me?"

"Answer the question, Kikyo," he demanded, though his voice softened slightly. Kagome noticed and her grip on the back of his haori tightened.

"I seek the girl's soul," Kikyo said without hesitation. She smirked as they all tensed and prepared to defend their friend. "It amuses me that you think you can stop me with your measly weapons." Kikyo addressed the girl she sought to destroy. "I _will_ have your soul, girl."

Sango gave an impressive snarl and took a step forward. "Her name is Kagome and you'll get her soul over my dead body, bitch."

Though she was shocked at Sango's fury, Kagome knew what she had to do. Looking around, she took in the grim and angry faces of her friends and could feel Inuyasha's muscles vibrating with preparation to attack if need be. It was something she did not enjoy seeing. She was tired of having them fight her battles for her. It was time she took care of herself. Plus, this was a fight only she and Kikyo could partake in.

She squeezed Inuyasha's shoulder and stepped out next to him.

"Kagome," he said lowly, his eyes never leaving Kikyo. "Stay the fuck behind me!"

She turned to smile at him. "I can't hide behind you, forever, Inuyasha. I have to face this eventually." Even though she felt her chest tighten in fear, she turned to meet Kikyo triumphant gaze. "You want my soul," she asked, anger beginning to seep into her expression and words. "Come and take it," she growled.

Kikyo's smirk never left her face. "With pleasure," she murmured as her body began to flow an eerie blue. Kagome's power rose to the surface in response, though they didn't make such an appearance, they hummed readily beneath her skin.

Without warning, Kagome felt as if someone had punched her through her breast bone and had taken hold of her heart. Gasping, she stumbled to her knees and clutched her chest, her lungs struggling to gather oxygen. Looking up, she saw Kikyo's smirk grow broader as Inuyasha fell to his kneed beside her.

"Kagome? Kagome, talk to me! What's happening?" He turned furious eyes to Kikyo. "What the fuck are you doing to her?"

"Exactly what I said I would," Kikyo said, still smirking as the soul collectors began to twine around Kagome in anticipation. "I'm taking my soul back."

Kagome struggled to breathe and fought panic as another punch of pain sent her to her hands. She turned watering eyes to Kikyo and saw her vision begin to get fuzzy and dots dance across her eyes.

"Kikyo," she gritted out. "It's not going to be that easy."

Her eyes closed as she concentrated on trying to focus past the agony. Feeling her power begin to swirl in agitation at her pain, she pictured gathering it into a bright blue ball and shot it towards the ghostly hands she could feel trying to get a grip on her soul. Distantly she heard Kikyo's gasp and heard a body fall to the ground, but she was too focused to notice.

She focused on the feel of the foreign power that struggled to maintain control of her and followed the thin thread that lead its way from her chest to where she could feel Kikyo's empty body. Several souls swirled in a mass of confusion inside Kikyo's body and Kagome sorted through them until she found the familiar signature of her own soul.

By now, sweat was pouring from her forehead and she could barely get enough air to stay conscious. She could feel Inuyasha's agitated youki next to her and sought to sooth it instinctively. She didn't hear his subsonic growl but she did feel his power rise to meet her own and sighed as it washed over her, giving her strength as her shoulders shook with the effort of keeping herself upright.

Still inside Kikyo's body, Kagome tugged on the piece of her soul she had found and it followed her thread with little to no fight. As soon as it merged into the rest of her soul, Kagome cried out with joy.

Finally, finally, she felt whole again!

With a sense of triumph, she sent Kikyo's ghostly power out of her with a wave of purification and sighed when the pain finally abated.

"It's over," she whispered and looked up.

Shock sent Kagome's powers rising again at the sight that greeted her. Inuyasha had gathered her against his chest sometime during her internal battle and was clutching her closely. But it was the sight of his blood red eyes and jagged markings that made her powers rise in response.

At the feel of her resistance, Inuyasha growled deeply, his eyes narrowing. His youki rose to meet her and the powers clashed momentarily.

"Submit, bitch," Inuyasha snarled, yanking her from him so she lay on her back with him hovering over her. Kagome struggled to keep her breathing even and deep and tried to reign in her powers, but at the feel of his pushing back, her powers refused to listen and only fought harder.

His growl became an almost snarl and he bared his fangs at her.

"_Submit, __**now.**_"

She whimpered and finally got a hold of her powers enough to pull them back into her body. His growl finally abated and turned into an almost purr as he leaned forward to nuzzle her jaw gently. He began to place hot, open mouthed kisses all along her jaw up to the corners of her lips and Kagome's breathing hitched as heat pool low and hot in her stomach.

At the smell of her arousal, Inuyasha's purr only grew louder and he began to lap at her collar bone hungrily.

"I-Inuyasha," she gasped when she felt his unmistakable erection pressing into her thigh. Her gasp turned into a breathy moan when he ground his hips into her and sent blinding jolts of pleasure along her spine. "_Inuyasha,"_ she gasped and struggled to breathe.

When he pulled back to look down at her, his lips pulled into a familiar smirk, despite his enlarged fangs and the red in his eyes seemed to twinkle down at her with satisfaction and male pride.

"Mine," he growled and pressed his hips into hers against to get his point across. She gasped again and thought frantically.

_How can I get him to change back? I can't sit him because I'm underneath him. _

When their stunned audience shifted, Inuyasha's head whipped up and he began growling.

"_Mine._" He growled again. Sango clutched Miroku's arm when he made to move toward the couple.

"No, monk. He's seeing us as a threat. Don't go near him."

At her words Inuyasha's head tilted and he gave an almost snort. "Not a threat," he growled, his voice deep and gravely. "Staking claim. _Mine._ Pack not a threat."

Sango frowned and Miroku tried to take another step forward and Inuyasha's gaze swung to him.

"Do you recognize us, Inuyasha?" he asked softly, his grip tightening on his staff.

Inuyasha growled. "Pack."

When Miroku turned to Sango, his eyes questioning, she stepped forward.

"Yes, Inuyasha we're pack. But we need to see to Kagome. She might be hurt."

At her words, Inuyasha's growl became threatening. "Mine," he snarled. Beneath him, Kagome gave a small squeak, her face bright red.

"Inuyasha," she whispered and he turned his attention back to her. His growl softened and he nuzzled his was down her throat.

"Inuyasha," she tried again. "The threat is gone. You can relax now."

"Mine," he growled again. Kagome nodded and cradled his face in her hands.

"I'm yours, Inuyasha. And you're mine. But you need to relax and let you youkai blood settle again. There's no threat. Come back to me," she whispered and pressed her lips earnestly against his. He responded immediately and thrust his tongue into her open lips with a satisfied growl. She wrapped her arms around him and answered his passion with her own.

By the time she pulled back, golden, passionate eyes met hers and she blushed.

"I'm glad you're back," she murmured, running a hand soothingly through his hair. He sighed and buried his face against her neck.

"I'm sorry Kagome. But when you started fighting Kikyo, my youkai blood rushed to the surface when the miko energy in the area and I…I couldn't control it."

She cooed to him as he began to tremble slightly. "Gods, I'm so sorry, Kagome," he whispered against her neck.

"Hey," she pulled him back so his eyes met hers. "I don't care if you're human, hanyou or youkai. I trust you."

His eyes brightened slightly and he nodded. Though a blush coated her cheeks, she pulled him down to give him a slow, passionate kiss. When they pulled back, panting, a small giggle escaped her. "Your youkai side is rather…frisky, isn't he?"

When someone cleared their throat, Kagome and Inuyasha jerked apart with matching blushes, having forgotten their audience.

Next to them, Miroku didn't bother to hide the lecherous grin that spread across his lips. A grin, that made Inuyasha growl.

"Well, Inuyasha," he began, but stopped when he felt Sango's hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at her, she shook her head silently. Now was not the time to tease Inuyasha about the incident. It was too soon.

Kagome surveyed the area and saw the Kikyo and her soul collectors were gone. Frowning, she looked up at her friends.

"Where's Kikyo?"

Miroku answered her, his face somber once again. "While you were…otherwise occupied, she was greatly weakened by your battle of wills and was carried away by her soul collectors. I don't think she will be bothering us anytime soon, but we will see her again, I believe."

Kagome nodded and chanced a look at Inuyasha, who was silent by her side. He met her eyes and she saw his sadness, but not regret. She understood his sadness at how things had progressed. He had always wanted to protect Kikyo, whether it be because a memory of his affection or guilt, Kagome didn't know. But she did know now that he would put her before his duty to Kikyo should the need arise.

Suppressing a shiver of apprehension as she recalled Kikyo's enraged face, she knew this would definitely not be the last time she and Kikyo would be on opposing sides.

She just hoped next time Inuyasha wouldn't be there to witness it.

* * *

><p><em>(AN: Well, I know it's been a long time coming, but I decided to finally try my hand at a youkai Inu one shot. How did I do? I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading)<em>

_Jane_


	13. Lollapalooza

**Lollapalooza**

_(n) something that or somebody who is particularly wonderful and impressive or an outstanding example of something_

* * *

><p>A knock cut through the peaceful silence of the sleepy apartment, causing one of the occupants to groan and roll over towards the warm body pressed intimately against him. Moonlight fell on the couple caressingly and highlighted the mass of silver and black hair intermingled on a red pillowcase.<p>

Inuyasha wrapped an arm around the waist of the woman that shared his bed and pulled her back flush against his chest with a content sigh. The woman in his arms murmured quietly and tucked her ebony head against his chest and under his chin. A small smile graced his handsome features and he nuzzled the hair under his chin absently.

Sleep had just begun to lull him back into the beckoning unconsciousness when another knock tore him back to reality. Cursing, he turned his head to look at his alarm clock. The digital number read ten thirty pm and Inuyasha frowned.

At his movements the woman in his arms grumbled and turned her head to look at him through blurry eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice husky with sleep. Inuyasha reluctantly pulled away from her warm curves and sat up in the bed, rubbing a calloused, claw-tipped hand down his haggard face.

"Around ten thirty," he murmured around a yawn that caused his fangs to flash in the dim lighting. He looked down at her irritated face and smiled warmly. Bending down, he placed a kiss across her pouting lips. With a sigh she kissed him back and when he pulled back, a smile had replaced her irritation. "Go back to sleep, Kagome. I wore you out tonight," he added with a cocky smirk.

Kagome snorted but couldn't stop the silly smile that pulled at her lips. Remembering all that they had done that night made warm contentment pulse through her heart and she couldn't stop her small giggle.

"That you did," she chuckled indulgently. When another knock cut through the air, her smile turned down into a small frown. "Who could that be this late?"

"I don't-" Inuyasha started, but froze when a memory made its way to the forefront of his mind.

_I'll be by after work…_

"Kikyo," he breathed, his face frozen in shock and small flash of apprehension entering into his golden eyes.

At her name, Kagome sat up abruptly, her own brown eyes wide with shock. "Kikyo? Kikyo is here? Why?"

Shaking his head, he turned his shadowed eyes to meet hers. "She left me a massage today saying that she wanted to talk and she would be by after work. But when you showed up, I totally forgot about it."

Kagome reached forward and grabbed his tense hand where it had begun plucking at the threads of the sheets. "Are you going to answer the door?"

He sighed and clutched her hand back. "I think I have to. She must have a reason for being here."

Her expression clouded and she looked away. After their break up, whenever Kikyo was brought up, Kagome couldn't quite contain her dislike of the woman. And she certainly never could hide her dislike from Inuyasha.

At her expression, he gave a small grin and squeezed her hand again.

"I know how you feel about her, Kagome. But there must be a reason she's here. What if she's in trouble?"

Kagome still wouldn't meet his eyes and grumbled, "Maybe she should deal with her own damn problems instead of dragging you into them."

"Kagome." When she heard the plea in his voice, she finally met his eyes. As their eyes met, he leaned forward to press a lasting, passionate kiss on her lips.

"I'm with you now. Don't think that I feel anything other than obligation where Kikyo is concerned."

She sighed and pressed her forehead against his, her eyes sliding closed on a wave of emotion so strong it made her heart constrict. "I'm just worried she'll hurt you again, Inuyasha. I was there after everything, remember?"

Smiling, he kissed her again. "How could I forget? You saved me." When she didn't say anything, he sighed again. "You can come with me if it will make you feel better."

Pulling back, she couldn't contain her relief and nodded. Pulling the sheet from around her, she got to her feet and began to search for something to wear.

A wicked thought entered her mind and she smirked when she saw Inuyasha's discarded dress shirt. Pulling it on, she buttoned it all the way to her neck, the hem falling to the middle of her slim thighs.

_We'll see what little Ms. Perfection has to say about this,_ Kagome thought with a grin. Turning, she couldn't contain her shiver of appreciation at Inuyasha's naked body as he searched for a pair of pants along the messy bedroom floor, the muscles of his back rippling underneath his tan skin in the moonlight. A wave of satisfaction went through her, along with the thought: 'that's mine now' and urged her to wrap her arms around his trim waist from behind and place a kiss on his shoulder.

He chuckled and turned in her arms. "Contain yourself, little one. Let's deal with the Wicked Witch of the West then we can continue where we left off."

Pressing a kiss against her forehead, he broke her hold and pulled on his sweatpants. Turning to his new girlfriend, he offered her his hand with a tender look. She smiled brilliantly and laced their fingers together, following him to the front door.

When another, more impatient knock sounded, Inuyasha couldn't contain his irritation.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on!" he called and pulled the door open.

Kagome's grip tightened on Inuyasha's hand as he swung the door open and they saw the object of her unkind thoughts standing impatiently.

Kikyo's face was a mask of annoyance and her fist was raised in the air in the middle of knocking again. When her eyes caught sight of Inuyasha, a small smile started to form on her lips, until she saw Kagome next to him. Her eyes dimmed as they racked over Kagome's body and her lips twisted distastefully.

Kagome couldn't quite hid the smirk that pulled at her lips but quickly hid it by burying her face in Inuyasha's tense shoulder though her eyes never left Kikyo.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo greeted stiffly, lowering her hand to hang limply at her side.

Inuyasha stood stiffly and couldn't quiet contain his unease as his ears twitched erratically. "Kikyo," he murmured, his hand twined with Kagome's tightening the slightest bit.

It was strange to see her again after two years. In his mind's eye, he still pictured her in the panicked, half-dressed state that he had last seen her in when he'd kicked her out that night so long ago. But that woman was long gone and in her place was the regal and poised woman that Inuyasha had fallen in love with.

But at the sight of her, his stomach twisted and his heart froze. Whatever feelings he had once had for this woman had died long ago and only bitterness was in its wake. And even that, he thought with a small smile over his shoulder at Kagome's grim face, was beginning to dry up.

Turning back to Kikyo, he forced his body to relax. "You look good, Kikyo," he said politely, but with no warmth in his voice.

The frown on Kikyo's face only grew at his tone and she sent a distasteful glare to Kagome before turning her attention to her once lover. "You as well, Inuyasha. I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here at such an hour."

_Oh no, we both know why you're here,_ Kagome thought bitterly. _You're here to try and seduce Inuyasha back to you. Don't try and pretend otherwise. _

But Kagome said none of these things, knowing they were unfair and not like her.

"It had crossed my mind," Inuyasha said. Stepping back, he gestured with his free hand. "Please, come in."

Kikyo nodded and stepped into the threshold, setting her purse on a nearby table, her eyes scanning the apartment critically. Not much had changed in the apartment, though she did see the couch that she and Inuyasha had picked out when he'd moved in was gone and replaced by a loveseat.

Settling herself on the loveseat, she waited for Inuyasha to sit adjacent to her in the recliner before opening her mouth to speak.

"I was hoping to take to you about a private matter," she said with a pointed look at Kagome who stood behind Inuyasha's chair with her hands on his bare shoulders. At her words, Kagome's eyes narrowed, but she knew this was a matter between the once-lovers and she had no right to hear the 'private matters'.

"I'll go make some coffee," she said, leaning down to press a lasting kiss on Inuyasha's lips. When she pulled away, they wore matching soft smiles before she left to the kitchen.

Kikyo watched as Inuyasha's eyes followed Kagome's retreat and had to fight a wave of ugliness when she saw his eyes linger on the hem of his shirt that fell just below her hips.

"The matter I wanted to discuss with you was how we ended things last time we saw each other," Kikyo began when Kagome had disappeared into the kitchen and Inuyasha had returned his attention to her. At her words, Inuyasha's hands fisted and his body tensed.

"What about it?" he asked, his eyes falling from hers as a scowl pulled at his features. Sighing, Kikyo looked at her hands.

"I know I have no right to ask you to listen to me about what happened, but I ask it just the same." Looking up at him and connecting his gaze with hers, she let just a little bit of her desperation show through her features. "Will you hear me out?"

Crossing his arms in indecision, he searched her face for anything but sincerity, but found no deceit. Running a hand down his face after a wave of fatigue rushed over him, he nodded curtly.

"I'll hear you out, but that's all I can guarantee."

Nodded in relief, Kikyo paused when Kagome entered again with two mugs of coffee in her hands. Handing one to Kikyo and the other to Inuyasha, she turned to Kikyo. "Can I get you any milk or sugar for your coffee?"

Surprised, Kikyo blinked. "A little sugar, if you please."

Silence fell over the two as they waited for Kagome return with the requested sugar. After making sure both were taken care of, she turned to Inuyasha with a soft smile. "I'll be waiting in the bedroom if you need me."

Feeling an almost over powering affection for this woman, Inuyasha reached over to pull her to him and give her a deep kiss. When they separated, he squeezed her hand. "I'll be there soon, I promise."

Nodding to Kikyo, Kagome quickly left the tension of the room and retreated to the safety of the bedroom.

Wanting nothing more than to join his new girlfriend, Inuyasha voice was slightly curt when he said, "Please, continue."

"I know my actions were inexcusable and I know nothing I say can make it seem less than it was. But I'm not here to get your forgiveness. I'm here only to explain that what happened that night had nothing to do with our relationship."

Feeling anger begin to take hold, Inuyasha placed his coffee down on the table when his grip tightened enough to threaten to break the ceramic mug. "How could it have nothing to do with our relationship, Kikyo? You _cheated_ on me!" His voice was tightly controlled, but his anger leaked through.

Grimacing, Kikyo didn't bother to deny it. "I know that, Inuyasha. But the reasons I did what I did had nothing to do with you or what we had. I-" In a rare moment of weakness, Kikyo sighed and rubbed a hand over her eyes. "I was in love with the man you found me with. His name is Onigumo. I didn't intent to ever hurt you the way I did. No matter what you believe, please believe that. Hurting you was never my intention. I just-I fell in love with him, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's eyes widened when he saw her eyes begin to swim with tears. His heart lurched but he pushed back his guilt. He had nothing to feel guilty about. Kikyo was the one that left him; she was the one in the wrong. He was the victim in this scenario.

"If you never meant to hurt me, then why the fuck were you with him _in_ _my apartment_?"

Kikyo winced at his words and lowered her head, a tear falling from her eyes to trail down her pale cheek. "I was at your apartment, waiting for you so we could meet up like we agreed earlier that day. Earlier that week, I had told Onigumo that I couldn't see him anymore because I was already with you. But he followed me to your apartment. While we were there, he convinced me that I needed to break up with you. After all, it was cruel of me to be in a relationship with you, but be in love with another man. I agreed that I would that night, but things…things got a little out of control and then you came home and…" She trailed off and looked up to see his reaction. His eyes were trained on the wall in front of him, his jaw tense.

"Why are you telling me this Kikyo?" he asked quietly, his eyes never leaving the wall in front of him. "Why now? It's been two years and I never heard a word from you. _Why now?_"

Tears fell freely from her eyes and she closed then on a wave of pain at his question. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I came today because I now know what it feels like to have the love of your life break your heart will little to no consideration. I now know how much it hurts to have your heart broken. And I know my explanation is little consolidation for what I did to you, but I just thought it might help to know that hurting you was never my intention. I did love you once. I just…" She looked up and locked eyes with him. In her eyes, tears swam at the brim of her eyelashes, threatening to spill. His eyes were hard with anger, but at the sight of her tears, softened minutely. "I just loved him _so much_. I'm sorry for what I did to you, Inuyasha."

Getting to her feet, she gave him one last smile that was more of a grimace. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

With that, she gathered her purse and let herself out of the apartment, her last words still echoing in the silent air.

Inuyasha slumped forward and he rested his head in his hands as he braced his elbows on his knees. Emotions warred inside of him. The bitterness he had held onto for the last two years had melted away at her words and left him feeling the raw pain, the sadness as if it had all happened yesterday.

Sighing, Inuyasha got to his feet and made his way to the one woman that he knew would never hurt him like Kikyo had, intentionally or not. When he opened the door to his bedroom, he saw the silhouette of her body underneath the covers, her chest rising and falling gently. He slipped between the covers and pulled her back against his chest, burying his face in her fragrant hair and breathing in deeply.

With her warm body pressed against his and the soothing sound of her heartbeat in his ears, Inuyasha slipped off into the best sleep he'd had in two years.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Years Later<strong>

Inuyasha looked at his watch and cursed. Grabbing his jacket from the back of his office chair, he paused as he passed Miroku's desk. Slapping a hand on its surface to get his co worker's attention, he caught his gaze meaningfully.

"Fax those goddamn reports, Miroku. I mean it. Don't think for one minute that I won't sell you out if Sesshomaru comes after me when we don't meet the deadline."

Miroku sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir." Grinning at Inuyasha, he cupped his chin in his hand and waggled his eyebrows at him. "Off to meet with the lovely Kagome, are you?"

Grinning, Inuyasha didn't bother answering, simply shaking his head and walking away.

Looking again at his watch, he sighed. Fishing his new cell phone from his pocket, he scowled at it. Kagome had finally convinced him to get one of the damn things after she had tried to call him when she'd gotten a flat tire, but had been unable to reach him because he was between work and his apartment.

"_Besides, Inuyasha. Won't you love to be able to talk to me anytime of the day if you want?"_

Sighing, he squinted down at the symbols and grinned when he finally found Kagome's name. Pressing the call button, he put the phone on speaker as he pressed the elevator button for the garage.

"_Hello?"_ Kagome's distant voice reached his keen ears. Feeling a sense of relief at hearing her bright voice, he couldn't keep the grin from his voice.

"Hey, babe."

"_Inuyasha!"_ Her voice rose in pleasure. _"What's up?"_

His grin dimmed and turned into a small frown. "I'm going to be a little late to dinner tonight. I just got off work and I'm heading over now, but I might get stuck in traffic."

There was a small sigh and Inuyasha winced. Even though she didn't mean to, whenever he called to say he would be late, which was frequently, she made him feel horrible at her disappointment.

"_Alright. I'll put the food on simmer. Just get here soon."_

"I will. I promise."

"_Be safe. I love you."_

His grin back full force, Inuyasha replied, "Love you too. See you soon."

Hanging up, he unlocked his car and pulled out, his grin still in place. Though Kagome always understood that his job sometime made him forget the time and made him late to their date nights, he always felt guilty about it because he knew that they both looked forward to their weekly date nights. But never once did she say anything, simply welcoming the time they did spend together with open arms and making him remember why he loved her as much as he did.

Shifting, his grin widened when he felt a suspicious lump in his pocket, excitement making his movements restless and him eager to get to his girlfriend.

Tonight, he would propose to Kagome.

He had been planning it for the last two months, but it had taken him the first month to make sure he _wanted_ to do it and it wasn't just something he was doing because he felt he had to. With Kagome, he could see himself spending the rest of his life with her in bliss. It hadn't been that way with Kikyo.

With Kikyo, he had felt a sense of obligation towards her since she had expressed multiple times that she intended to marry young and start on a family as soon as she could. Kagome, however, never expressed any of those feelings. Sure, she wanted to get married and start a family, but she was in no rush to do it. She, in fact, hadn't even brought the topic up.

If it hadn't been for Sango seeing her cast lingering looks at bridal magazines, Inuyasha probably never would have known that she had wanted to get married at all. Even now that he had the ring and was heading over to her now, he was feeling no nervousness. After all, he and Kagome had seen it all together. Marriage wouldn't change that.

Pulling into his apartment's parking lot, he cut the engine and touched his pocket to make sure he still had his surprise. Feeling its reassuring weight, he took a deep breath and got out of his car. Taking the stairs two at a time, Inuyasha arrived at his door within seconds, his excitement making his heart pound a little faster in his chest and a grin break out on his face.

Opening the door, he called out, "I'm home."

He heard shuffling from the kitchen as Kagome called back, "Welcome home." Appeared from around the bend, wiping her hands on a dish rag and an apron around her trim waist, she walked up to him with a soft smile. Pressing a tender kiss on his lips, she pulled back, her eyes twinkling. "I missed you," she whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a lingering kiss on her pliant lips. "I missed you too." Pulling back, he began tugging at his tie and sniffed the air experimentally. His ears twitched on his head as he turned to his girlfriend. "What's for dinner? It smells delicious."

Smiling, Kagome helped him out of his jacket and took his tie from his hand, putting both in the hall closet. "You'll see."

He waited until she had disappeared back into the kitchen before he pulled the velvet box from his pocket, looking around for somewhere to put it. Seeing the table setting, he lifted up the tinted napkin on her plate and stashed the box underneath it.

"How was work?" Kagome called to him as she began to arrange the food on a platter to take out to the dining room table.

Adjusting the napkin so it hid the ring, he grinned down in triumph as he answered her back absently. "Same old, same old. Miroku dragging his ass as usual and Sesshomaru up mine about the lag. Nothing special."

Chuckling, Kagome reappeared with the apron gone and the full platter in her slim hands. Placing it in the center of the table, she sat at her plate with a smile.

"Well, we both know how Miroku can get," she said and Inuyaha's heart began to pound louder in his ears when she reached for her napkin on her plate. Holding his breath, he watched as she lifted it up to reveal the black box and froze.

Her wide eyes came up to the still standing Inuyasha and saw his tender smile. "Inuyasha?" she squeaked. Her breath hitched and her heart began to pound loud in her ears when he kneeled next to her, his earnest eyes still on hers.

Lifting a hand to her heart to try and calm it down, she kept her gaze locked with his as he reached forward to grab the jewelry box and her free hand.

"Kagome," he began, his voice trembling the slightest bit in nerves. Seeing how nervous he was, her eyes began to fill with tears as she waited with bated breath for this next words. "Kagome, you saved me when I needed you most. You were there for me when I needed you and I try to make sure that I'm there if you ever need me. I've never been as sure of anything in my whole life as I am about you. I love you. Will you marry me?"

A sob escaped her lips as the tears finally fell from her wide eyes. Mutely, she could only nod vigorously. A brilliant smile broke out on his face as he opened the box and revealed the diamond ring in its depths. Sitting comfortably on a silver band, two diamonds twinkled up at Kagome and she gasped.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. Inuyasha slipped it from the velvet casing and slipping it on her left hand. "Perfect fit," she murmured, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Looking up at him, she threw her arms around his neck with a cry of joy.

"I love you," he whispered against her neck.

She tried to stifle her sobs as she pressed kiss after kiss along his face. "I love you so much," she whispered in between kisses as he claimed her lips with his own. "I never thought this day would come."

Pulling back, he framed her face with his hands. "Are you sure you can handle my moodiness for the rest of our lives? Because if we do this, there is no going back," he said solemnly.

Grinning, Kagome placed her hands over his. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

* * *

><p><em>(AN: Okay, so I know it's been a long time since I came up with another installment, but I have been playing with a few other story ideas that hopefully will be coming out soon! I hope you enjoyed this sequel to Every Day and Every Night, I have wanted to write it for the last two months! Thank you to those that reviewed, your opinions are always cherished! Until next time!)<em>

_Jan_e


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